Japan have rung the changes and announced the eldest side in their Test history for their opening RWC 2015 match against South Africa on Saturday.
Head coach Eddie Jones makes five changes from the side that beat Georgia 13-10 in Gloucester on 5 September 2015, the side’s last Test match.
Akihito Yamada replaces Yoshikazu Fujita on the wing and Hendrik Tui moves from the wing to number eight. Fly-half Harumichi Tatekawa drops to the bench in place of Kosei Ono, and Kensuke Hatakeyama replaces Hiroshi Yamashita, who is named as a replacement. Tui’s move to number eight means there is no place for Koliniashi Holani, who is in the squad but not named in the match-day 23.
Only seven players in the 23 were in the match-day 22 for Japan’s last RWC match, the 23-23 draw against Canada on 27 September 2011.
The starting 15 for Saturday has an average age of 29 years and 310 days, eclipsing the side who played in the 13-10 win over Georgia on 5 September 2015, whose average was 29 years and 299 days.
The starting side boasts 574 caps, which is the second most by a Japanese Test side after the win against Georgia, which had 586 caps. The side is also the most experienced to play in a World Cup for Japan, beating the 465 caps held by the starting 15 for Japan’s 21-47 defeat to France on 10 September 2011.
Hitoshi Ono continues to extend his record as Japan’s most capped player, winning his 95th cap.
Japan:
1. Masataka Mikami
2. Shota Horie
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama
4. Luke Thompson
5. Hitoshi Ono
6. Michael Leitch (captain)
7. Michael Broadhurst
8. Hendrik Tui
9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Kosei Ono
11. Kotaro Matsushima
12. Craig Wing
13. Male Sa’u
14. Akihito Yamada
15. Ayumu Goromaru
Replacements:
16. Takeshi Kizu
17. Keita Inagaki
18. Hiroshi Yamashita
19. Shinya Makabe
20. Amanaki Mafi
21. Atsushi Hiwasa
22. Harumichi Tatekawa
23. Karne Hesketh
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