Joseph tweaks Japan team for crunch match against Argentina
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Japan coach Jamie Joseph has made just one change to his starting XV from their 28-22 victory against Samoa for the crunch World Cup match against Argentina in Nantes on Sunday.
Siosaia Fifita replaces Jone Naikabula on the left wing as Joseph avoided tinkering for the Pool D showdown to decide which of the two teams advances to the quarterfinals as runners-up to England.
Eight of the run-on team have started every game in France.
They are Amato Fakatava, Keita Inagaki, Jiwon Gu, Jack Cornelsen, Michael Leitch, Rikiya Matsuda, Kotato Matsushima, and Ryoto Nakamura.
Japan: 15 Lomano Lemeki, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Siosaia Fifita, 10 Rikiya Matsuda, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Kazuki Himeno (captain), 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Amato Fakatava, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Jiwon Gu, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki.
Replacements: 16 Atsushi Sakate, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 Warner Dearns, 20 Amanaki Saumaki, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Ryohei Yamanaka, 23 Jone Naikabula.
Date: Sunday, October 8
Venue: Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Kick-off: 13.00 (11.00 GMT; 08.00 ART; 20.00 JST)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
