With the game not an official test and a number of players unavailable through injury, Jones has named a mix of the experienced and not so experienced for the match at Noevir Stadium.
Michael Leitch, leads the side and forms a physical back row with Hendrik Tui and Hayden Hopgood.
Luke Thompson and Shoji Ito have been named in the engine room with Masataka Mikami, Takeshi Kizu and Kensuke Hatakeyama in the front row as Jones looks to use the set piece as a platform from which to attack.
“Tightly controlling the set pieces in the forwards will prevent our opponents from attacking and give us a good chance to attack,” said Hatakeyama.
Behind the scrum Atsushi Hiwasa and Yu Tamura line up at halfback with Male Sa’u and Harumichi Tatekawa in the centres.
Japan’s all-time top points scorer Ayumu Goromaru is named at fullback, forming an exciting back three alongside speedsters Akihito Yamada and Kotaro Matsushima.
The replacements include four players yet to be capped.
Keita Inagaki and Shinnosuke Kakinaga are the back-up props, Amanaki Lelei Mafi the reserve back-row forward while Karne Hesketh will cover the outside backs.
“I’m very happy to be able to wear the national jersey for the first time and am aware of all the responsibilities it involves,” said Inagaki.
Joining the quartet on the bench are hooker Hiroki Yuhara, lock Shinya Makabe and the halfback pair of Keisuke Uchida and Kosei Ono.
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2014: JAPAN XV vs Maori ALL BLACKS (Japan Squad Announcement)
| No. |
Name |
Club Team |
Graduate |
(cm) |
(kg) |
D.O.B |
Caps |
| 1 |
Masataka MIKAMI |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Tokai Univ. |
178 |
115 |
1988/6/4 |
21 |
| 2 |
Takeshi KIZU |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Tokai Univ. |
183 |
114 |
1988/7/15 |
28 |
| 3 |
Kensuke HATAKEYAMA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Waseda Univ. |
178 |
115 |
1985/8/2 |
58 |
| 4 |
Luke THOMPSON |
KINTETSU Liners |
Lincoln Univ. (NZ) |
196 |
108 |
1981/4/16 |
48 |
| 5 |
Shoji ITO |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
191 |
100 |
1980/12/2 |
26 |
| 6 |
Hendrik TUI |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Teikyo Univ. |
189 |
107 |
1987/12/13 |
25 |
| 7 |
*
Michael LEITCH |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Tokai Univ. |
190 |
105 |
1988/10/7 |
37 |
| 8 |
Hayden HOPGOOD |
Kamaishi Seawaves |
Shirley Boys HS (NZ) |
190 |
105 |
1980/7/30 |
1 |
| 9 |
Atsushi HIWASA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Hosei Univ. |
166 |
72 |
1987/5/22 |
36 |
| 10 |
Yu TAMURA |
NEC Green Rockets |
Meiji Univ. |
181 |
92 |
1989/1/9 |
25 |
| 11 |
Akihito YAMADA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Keio Univ. |
181 |
90 |
1985/7/26 |
9 |
| 12 |
Male SAU |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Tangaroa College (NZ) |
183 |
97 |
1987/10/13 |
18 |
| 13 |
Harumichi TATEKAWA |
KUBOTA Spears |
Tenri Univ. |
181 |
94 |
1989/12/2 |
26 |
| 14 |
Kotaro MATSUSHIMA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Toin Gakuen HS |
175 |
88 |
1993/2/26 |
4 |
| 15 |
Ayumu GOROMARU |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Waseda Univ. |
185 |
99 |
1986/3/1 |
41 |
| 16 |
Keita INAGAKI |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Kanto Gakuin Univ. |
183 |
115 |
1990/6/2 |
– |
| 17 |
Hiroki YUHARA |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Ryutsu Keizai Univ. |
173 |
102 |
1984/1/21 |
16 |
| 18 |
Shinnosuke KAKINAGA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Waseda Univ. |
180 |
114 |
1991/12/19 |
– |
| 19 |
Shinya MAKABE |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Chuo Univ. |
192 |
118 |
1987/3/26 |
27 |
| 20 |
Amanaki LELEI MAFI |
NTT COMMUNICATIONS Shining Arcs |
Hanazono Univ. |
189 |
112 |
1990/1/11 |
– |
| 21 |
Keisuke UCHIDA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Univ. of Tsukuba |
177 |
85 |
1992/2/22 |
8 |
| 22 |
Kosei ONO |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Christchurch Boys HS (NZ) |
171 |
83 |
1987/4/17 |
22 |
| 23 |
Karne HESKETH |
Munakata SANIX Blues |
Univ. of Otago (NZ) |
178 |
98 |
1985/8/1 |
– |
*Captain
Courtesy of Japan Rugby
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