Sunwolves bring in Mafi for Rebels clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sunwolves have been bolstered for their Super Rugby Round 15 clash against the Melbourne Rebels in Tokyo on Saturday.
Former Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year, Amanaki Mafi, returns to the starting XV in the No.8 jersey.
The Sunwolves will also unleash flyer Semisi Masirewa who returns to the wing.
The other changes to the backline from their last match against the Brumbies sees Jason Emery take over from Ryohei Yamanaka at fullback, while Hayden Parker returns to the flyhalf position in place of Yu Tamura.
In the pack, Mafi is joined in the back row by Dan Pryor and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco.
In the second row, Luke Thompson takes over the No.5 jersey from Grant Hattingh.
There is one change to the front row with Nathan Vella replacing Shota Horie at hooker.
三菱地所スーパーラグビー2019 ラウンド15 レベルズ戦 サンウルブズ試合登録メンバー発表！
応援よろしくお願いします！🐺https://t.co/O87oNYJcXM#sunwolves #Awoooo #WEARETHEPACK #Rebels pic.twitter.com/e3dfD2rawJ— サンウルブズ/SUNWOLVES (@sunwolves) May 23, 2019
Sunwolves: 15 Jason Emery, 14 Gerhard Van Den Heever, 13 Josh Timu, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Semisi Masirewa, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Kaito Shigeno, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Dan Pryor, 6 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Mark Abbott, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Nathan Vella, 1 Masataka Mikami.
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Conan O’Donnell, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 20 Hendrik Tui, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Hosea Saumaki, 23 Takuya Yamasawa.
Date: Saturday, May 25
Venue: Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14.15 (15.15 Melbourne time; 05.15 GMT)
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (Japan)
