Eddie Jones has made six changes to his Japan side, including handing flanker Esei Haangana a Test debut, for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash with France in Tokyo.
The 27-year-old earns his first cap, while Izi Sword and Shunsuke Uenobo are in line to make their debuts off the bench.
Jones has also opted for an entirely new front row, with Sojiro Otsuka, Hayate Era and Keijiro Tamefusa all promoted to the starting XV.
The veteran coach believes the expected weather, with temperatures around 30°C and rain forecast, will place even greater emphasis on the forward contest.
“We’ve picked a bit of a bigger back row this week, with a view of that,” said Jones. “Given the likely conditions, where it’s going to be hot and humid and rain, it will be a forward battle. I think we’ve got the men in there to do the job for us.”
TEAM: Game-breaker boosts Ireland for All Blacks clash
Jones is backing his front-row resources to make a decisive impact over the full 80 minutes.
“We decided to start with them, and the other boys will finish. From those six players in the front row, we’ll get a fantastic 80-minute effort.”
There is one enforced change in the backline, with Samisoni Tua replacing the injured Yuya Hirose at inside centre, while Kippei Ishida returns on the left wing in place of Taira Main.
University student Ryunosuke Ito retains the No 10 jersey for a third successive Test and again partners experienced scrumhalf Naoto Saito.
TEAM: Barrett still out in the cold
Captain Warner Dearns expects the set-piece to be decisive against a powerful French outfit.
“They have big, powerful forwards, and they can attack from wide with their backs. If we can win at set-pieces, it will be a good chance for us.”
JAPAN –15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Kazuma Ueda, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Samisoni Tua, 11 Kippei Ishida, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Jack Cornelsen, 7 Ben Gunter, 6 Esei Haangana, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 4 Harry Hockings, 3 Keijiro Tamefusa, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Sojiro Otsuka.
Bench: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Takato Okabe, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Michael Stolberg, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Tiennan Costley, 22 Taira Main, 23 Shunsuke Uenobo.
Photo: Kenta Harada/Getty Images
The post Eddie beefs up pack for France appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Eddie Jones has made six changes to his Japan side, including handing flanker Esei Haangana a Test debut, for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash with France in Tokyo.
The post Eddie beefs up pack for France appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
