3:50 pm SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26th NISSAN STADIUM, YOKOHAMA, TOKYO, JAPAN
Veteran Players Lead the Charge for the All Blacks
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson named a trio of seasoned players with Japanese club rugby experience to lead his team against the Brave Blossoms on Tuesday.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu, who played for Toyota Verblitz in Japan Rugby League One in 2022, will captain the All Blacks for the first time in Saturday’s match at Yokohama’s Nissan Stadium.
Flanker Sam Cane, from Tokyo Sungoliath, will serve as vice-captain in his 101st test, while former Sungoliath playmaker Damian McKenzie will direct the backline at flyhalf.
All Blacks Make Significant Changes Ahead of Japan Clash
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has named a new captain, rushed Cam Roigard back and included two debutants in a new-look 23 to face Japan in Yokohama on Saturday.
Robertson has made a staggering 11 changes to his starting XV following the All Blacks’ 33-13 win over Australia in their last test on September 28.
Wing Sevu Reece, midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown, and loose forwards Wallace Sititi and Sam Cane are the only players to keep their places in the starting lineup.
Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Tupou Vaai, Scott Barrett, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor and Ethan de Groot, all starters from the final game of the Rugby Championship, have been rested ahead of tougher tests against England, Ireland and France.
Preparation for England: All Blacks Strategy Unfolds
Robertson had previously stated that he would send an advance group to London to begin preparations for their November 3 test against England.
In the absence of captain Scott Barrett and Savea, Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu will lead the All Blacks for the first time in his 47th test.
Fullback Stephen Perofeta and halfback Roigard have both been named to start after recovering from injuries, with Roigard set to make his first appearance for the All Blacks this year.
Key Players and Debutants in the Spotlight
TJ Perenara will offer halfback cover from the bench, continuing his All Blacks career.
Billy Proctor will start at centre in just his second test for the All Blacks, reuniting with Anton Lienert-Brown.
Damian McKenzie has been restored to first five-eighth, with Beauden Barrett among the key players being rested.
Uncapped Peter Lakai is on the verge of breaking into the All Blacks starting lineup for Saturday’s test against Japan in Yokohama, and he has an ideal roommate to rely on for support if that happens.
Lakai was called in as cover, following injuries to Dalton Papali’i, Ethan Blackadder and Luke Jacobson.
Rising Star: Lakai’s Journey to the All Blacks
The 21-year-old was preparing for Wellington Lions training last Monday, ahead of their semifinal against Waikato, when Scott Robertson called him up for his first All Blacks tour.
Instead of gearing up for an NPC final at home, he’s now preparing for a potential test debut. This week, he’s been drawing on the advice of Sam Cane, who has 100 more test caps than him, following two years of mentorship alongside Ardie Savea at the Hurricanes.
All Blacks’ Previous Encounter with Japan
The last time the All Blacks faced Japan, in 2022, coach Ian Foster made 12 changes to the starting lineup, and the team narrowly secured a 38-31 win.
A number of regular All Blacks starters will leave Japan on Friday before the test as they begin preparations for the following weekend’s test against England.
Robertson spent time with Ricoh Black Rams, now known as Black Rams Tokyo, during his playing career.
ALL BLACKS.
Stephen Perofeta, Sevu Reece, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a, Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard, Wallace Sititi, Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darry, Pasilio Tosi, Asafo Aumua, Tamaiti Williams.
Reserves. George Bell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Peter Lakai, TJ Perenara, David Havili, Ruben Love.
Eddie Jones Prepares Japan for All Blacks Showdown
Head coach and former Australia and England coach Eddie Jones is continuing his rebuild of Japan ahead of next weekend’s Test against the All Blacks at Yokohama.
Jones revealed his squad for the game, featuring five uncapped players. Japan has played seven tests and two matches against the Māori All Blacks this season. The selected squad has an average of 10 test caps per player.
Japan National Team Head Coach Eddie Jones has announced his latest Brave Blossoms squad as they prepare to face the All Blacks at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama later this month. After their encounter with the three-time World Champions on October 26, the Brave Blossoms will head to Europe for a three-match autumn tour, taking on France in Paris, Uruguay in Chambéry, and England at Allianz Stadium in London.
The squad includes 20 forwards and 17 backs, with Jones maintaining a youthful core as he continues to shape the next generation of Brave Blossoms in preparation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Captaincy and Player Insights
Utility back Harumichi Tatekawa retains the captaincy after leading Japan to a runner-up finish in the Pacific Nations Cup, where they were defeated 17-41 by Fiji in the final. The 60-cap veteran is part of a small group of five senior players, each boasting over 20 test caps. The squad also features five uncapped debutants, including Opeti Helu, a dynamic and powerful tighthead prop who plays for Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY in Japan’s League One.
Rising Stars: Nakakusu and Helu
Another debutant set to attract attention is 24-year-old flyhalf Ichigo Nakakusu, who plays for the RICOH BlackRams Tokyo. Nakakusu has shown impressive form in League One and comes highly recommended by the BlackRams’ coaching staff. If selected, it would mark a major step up for the young flyhalf, as he could potentially face off against the All Blacks.
Japan’s Season Overview
Throughout the season, Japan has suffered defeats against England (17-52), the Māori All Blacks (10-36), Georgia (23-25), Italy (14-42), and Fiji (17-41). However, they have secured victories over the Māori All Blacks (26-14), Canada (55-28), the USA (41-24), and Samoa (49-27).
Between 2020 and 2023, Japan had 33 new Test caps over four years. In 2024, they have had 17 already.
They are bringing new blood in and creating a new generation of players to increase the depth and quality of their squad.
Japan finished second to Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Across the PNC, they made some fantastic improvements, but in the end, they were not strong enough against Fiji.
BRAVE BLOSSOMS TEAM
Takato OKABE, Atsushi SAKATE, Shuhei TAKEUCHI, Sanaila WAQA, Warner DEARNS, Amato FAKATAVA, Kazuki HIMENO, Faulua MAKISI, Shinobu FUJIWARA, Harumichi TATEKAWA Malo TUITAMA, Nicholas MCCURRAN, Dylan RILEY, Jone NAIKABULA, Yoshitaka YAZAKI
Reserves. Takuro MATSUNAGA, Mamoru HARADA, Takayoshi MOHARA, Opeti HELU, Epineri Uluiviti Kanji SHIMOKAWA, Taiki KOYAMA, Tomoki OSADA
Upcoming Matches for the All Blacks and Japan
All Blacks Northern Tour schedule
October 26, – All Blacks v Japan, Yokohama
November 3, – All Blacks v England, Twickenham
November 9, – All Blacks v Ireland, Dublin
November 17, – All Blacks v France, Paris
November 24, – All Blacks v Italy, Turin Saturday, 9 November
Japan Rugby 2024 Future Match Schedule
Saturday, 26 October
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2024 Japan vs All Blacks, Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
Saturday, 9 November, France vs Japan, Stade de France, Paris
Saturday, 16 November, Japan vs Uruguay, Chambéry Savoy Stadium, Chambéry, France
Sunday 24 November, England vs Japan, Allianz Stadium, London
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