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No Pisi for Sunwolves

The Samoan international will be rested after hurting his shoulder in the loss 28-33 loss to the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth last weekend. Yu Tamura takes his place in the No.10.

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The other changes in the backline sees Derek Carpenter and Mifiposeti Paea combine in the midfield and Yuki Yatomi starting at scrumhalf.

Up front there are two new props with Masataka Mikami and Takuma Asahara coming into the starting XV. In the second row Shinya Makabe comes in for veteran lock Hitoshi Ono.

In the back row Tomás Leonardi is at No.8 with Ed Quirk moving to flank – Andrew Durutalo drops down to the bench.

Sunwolves: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Viliami Lolohea, 13 Mifiposeti Paea, 12 Derek Carpenter, 11 Akihito Yamada, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Yuki Yatomi, 8 Tomás Leonardi, 7 Ed Quirk, 6 Liaki Moli, 5 Timothy Bond, 4 Shinya Makabe, 3 Takuma Asahara, 2 Shota Horie (captain), 1 Masataka Mikami

Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Ziun Gu, 18 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 19 Yoshiya Hosoda, 20 Andrew Durutalo, 21 Atushi Hiwasa, 22 Harumichi Tatekawa, 23 Yasutaka Sasakura.

Date: Friday, April 8

Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town

Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT, 02.00 Saturday, April 9 JST)

Referee: Nicholas Berry (Australia)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), AJ Jacobs (South Africa)

TMO: Johan Greeff (South Africa)

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