Japan v Wales - teams and prediction

PREVIEW: Head coach Eddie Jones said Japan had a “chance to create history” with back-to-back wins over Wales as he named his team on Thursday for their second Test in Kobe.

Japan came from behind to beat Wales 24-19 in Kitakyushu last weekend and is now looking to claim consecutive wins over a Tier One country for the first time.

Jones again named an inexperienced line-up, with four starters winning their second caps and four uncapped players on the bench.

Scrumhalf Naoto Saito, who won the French Top 14 title with Toulouse last month, returns to the starting line-up in place of Shinobu Fujiwara.

Jones said it was “important that we just keep growing as a team”.

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“Japan has never had a record of beating a top-tier team back-to-back so we’ve got a chance to create history,” said Jones, who again named Michael Leitch as captain after an outstanding display from the 36-year-old last week.

“But the more important thing for us is that we know we can play better.

“We played well in the first game — we know we’re going to have to play with more intensity, more effort, execute our plays.”

Last week’s game was played in 31 Celsius heat with high humidity, making ball-handling difficult.

The forecast for Saturday is three degrees hotter, and the game will be played in a stadium with a retractable roof.

Jones said he did not know if the roof would be open or closed, but remarked that it was “quite ironic talking about roofs when you’re playing against Wales”.

“Having known the goings-on when you go there with England, whether it’s going to be open or closed, is it going to rain, is it not going to rain,” he said.

“All those machinations are the same in every country in the world.

“When we go up in the northern hemisphere, no one turns the heaters on.”

Jones made five changes to his starting line-up.

Backs Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, who both scored after coming off the bench to make their debuts in last week’s game, were named in the starting XV.

Wales head coach Matt Sherratt made four changes to the starting XV from last weekend.

Dan Edwards is named at flyhalf to win his third cap and make his first start for Wales.

Freddie Thomas comes in at lock, following Ben Carter’s injury, and partners Teddy Williams in the second row.

Archie Griffin starts at tighthead prop, with captain Dewi Lake at hooker and loosehead prop Nicky Smith completing the front row.

In the back row Aaron Wainwright starts at No.8, alongside Alex Mann at blindside flanker and Josh Macleod at openside flanker.

There is again a six-two split among the Wales replacements.

Tighthead prop Christian Coleman, scrumhalf Reuben Morgan-Williams and wing Keelan Giles could each make their Wales senior international debut with an appearance from the bench.

Hooker Liam Belcher, who won his first cap last weekend, provides cover at hooker and Gareth Thomas is the cover at loosehead prop.

James Ratti, Taine Plumtree and Tommy Reffell provide the remaining forward cover.

Sherratt said: “I want to have a little bit of a freshen up. So, Dan Edwards comes in at ten. Dan’s trained brilliantly over the three weeks. He was great in the Six Nations, so we want to have a look at him.

“Unfortunately, Ben Carter has gone home, so Freddie Thomas comes in. Keiron Assiratti has not been able to train as much as we’d like this week. So, it was more sensible to start Archie [Griffin], and that gives Chris Coleman a chance to make his debut off the bench.

“Toby had like a little bit of heat stress-related cramping [following the game]. We decided it was best that Aaron Wainwright start at No.8.

“We’ve made a couple of other changes on the bench as well, so delighted for Keelan and Reuben. They thoroughly deserve a chance.”

Looking ahead to Saturday, Sherratt added: “I think our biggest challenge this week is going to be repeating some of the good and then in that last 20 minutes it’s making our lineout launch more effective so we can get our game on the field. Perhaps being a little bit braver with the ball as well.

“I think atmospherically it’s going to be a great experience for the players, and obviously there’s no getting away from the heat.

“The roof’s closed. From the experience of the roof being closed in Principality Stadium, the ball can be a little bit greasy.

“It’s going to be hot, maybe a little bit wet, but there’ll be there’ll be some atmosphere because the fans over here love their rugby.”

Players to watch:

For Japan: Just a month after winning the Top 14 title with Toulouse, scrumhalf Naoto Saito comes in the starting line-up. The No.9 will be given to perform as he replaces Shinobu Fujiwara. Last weekend’s try-scorers Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea get their respective shots in the starting XV.

For Wales: There is a new man at flyhalf in the shape of Dan Edwards. He is very inexperienced with three caps and will be the general in his first start. In the pack, captain Dewi Lake has to lead from the front. He partners with Archie Griffin and Nicky Smith in the frontrow.

Prediction:

Rugby365: Japan by seven points

Teams: 

Japan: 15 Ichigo Nakakusu, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Halatoa Vailea; 10 Seungsin Lee, 9 Naoto Saito; 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Jack Cornelsen, 6 Michael Leitch (captain); 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Epineri Uluiviti; 3 Keijiro Tamefusa, 2 Mamoru Harada, 1 Yota Kamimori.
Replacements: 16 Hayate Era, 17 Sena Kimura, 18 Shuhei Takeuchi, 19 Waisake Raratubua, 20 Ben Gunter, 21 Shinobu Fujiwara, 22 Sam Greene, 23 Kazuma Ueda.

Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams,
12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Josh Macleod, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Freddie Thomas, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Christian Coleman, 19 James Ratti, 20 Taine Plumtree, 21 Tommy Reffell, 22 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 23 Keelan Giles

Date: Saturday, July 12
Venue: Noevir Stadium, Kobe
Kick-off: 14.50 (06.50 BTS; 05.50 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England) & Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

Sources: AFP & Wales