The Brave Blossoms were embarrassingly bad in Kobe a week ago but have freshened up the side and moved to their spiritual home in Tokyo for round 2. Eddie Jones will no doubt have read them the riot act during the week and if certain players don’t show up this time they might find themselves out of the upcoming tour nevermind the World Cup. Five changes have already been made to the run-on XV.
Concussion has ruled out starting loosehead Masataka Mikami, so uncapped Keita Inagaki steps in with Yusuke Nagae taking over his bench role. Shoji Ito is discarded completely for much bigger second row Shinya Makabe, and as expected Amanaki Mafi takes the no8 jersey from benched Hayden Hopgood. Mafi made a big impact when he came on last week and he should provide some much needed oomph in the carrying department.
Yu Tamura misses out with injury so Kosei Ono starts in the no10 jersey, and there is a first start for uncapped Karne Hesketh on the wing as he replaces Harumichi Tatekawa, who took a bang on the arm in the last game and will sit on the bench as a precaution. Kotaro Matsushima moves inside from the wing to compensate, with Male Sa’u bumping over to inside centre. Talented Kobe Steel midfielder Ryohei Yamanaka is handed a bench spot more than four years after winning his one and only cap in the same stadium.
Head coach Colin Cooper has kept things pretty consistent. Ash Dixon’s injury means that Canterbury’s Codie Taylor starts at hooker, with Joe Royal acting as cover and Brendon Edmonds brought in as backup loosehead. Blade Thomson switches from the flank to the second row with Hayden Triggs dropping to the bench and Dan Pryor starting on the blindside. Mitch Crosswell replaces brother Nick among the reserves.
Accomplished New Zealand 7s representatives Kurt Baker and Nehe Milner-Skudder start at wing and fullback respectively, with Joe Webber providing cover from the bench. Matt Proctor moves in one spot to centre with Jason Emery the one to miss out. Last week’s star James Lowe continues on the left wing, though this time he’ll be opposite the significantly more physical Hesketh as opposed to the slighter Matsushima.
For Japanese rugby’s sake this match has to be a vast improvement over last week’s result. The Brave Blossoms can’t afford handling errors or soft turnovers, and must use their kicking game more effectively to get them into position to use their superior set piece to their advantage. Look for Makabe and Mafi to help at the contact area, and Hesketh gives them a little more strike power out wide. It would be foolish to predict a complete reversal of fortunes, but look for the home team to pick up their socks and make a game of it. Take the Maori by 16.
JAPAN vs NZ MAORI
Saturday, November 8, 05:00 GMT, Tokyo
Referee: Angus Gardner (ARU)
Assistants: Luke Pearce (RFU) & James Leckie (ARU)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)
