Coach Eddie Jones has promised his Japan team will challenge the All Blacks with a fast-paced game for the full 80 minutes when the sides meet at Yokohama’s International Stadium on Saturday (6.50am Irish time).
The Brave Blossoms have never beaten New Zealand in five previous attempts but got as close as they ever have to an upset two years ago when they lost 38-31 in Tokyo.
“We want to play like Japan from the first minute to the 80th minute of the game and not stop challenging New Zealand with our style of play,” Jones told a news conference after naming his team on Thursday.
“I think whenever you play against New Zealand, the first thing you’ve got to do is be prepared to take them on.
“Like any team in the world, New Zealand are a team that if you go at them you can put them under pressure, and the way we play ... we can really put some pressure on them with our collective speed and we intend to do that from the first minute.”
Jones named a bench with a 5-3 split in favour of the forwards for what is likely to be a physical contest against the big but relatively inexperienced All Blacks pack named by Scott Robertson on Tuesday.
The return of exciting youngster Yoshitaka Yazaki at fullback is one of five changes to the starting line-up from the team that lost 41-17 to Fiji in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup last month.
Fijian-born winger Jone Naikabula returns to start on the right wing and former skipper Kazuki Himeno comes in at openside flanker for Kanji Shimokawa, who drops to the bench.
Playmaker Harumichi Tatekawa will captain the side and loosehead prop Opeti Helu and outhalf Takuro Matsunaga are set to win their first Test caps off the bench.
“Both of them have been very impressive in the lead-up to the game,” said Jones. “I think they’re our 18th and 19th new caps this season, so it shows the transitional period we’re in. But this game’s not about transition, it’s about performance.”
Jones accepted that Japan would have to play without the ball for large parts of the game against the three-times world champions and said they would need to be aggressive and connected in defence.
“This is the ultimate test,” said Jones. “You’ve got to be able to do it for 80 minutes.
“That’s what we’ve been preparing for, and I really feel the players are ready to play the best game that Japan’s ever played against New Zealand. That’s the opportunity ahead of them.”
JAPAN: Yoshitaka Yazaki; Jone Naikabula, Dylan Riley, Nicholas McCurran, Malo Tuitama; Harumichi Tatekawa (capt), Shinobu Fujiwara; Takato Okabe, Atsushi Sakate, Shuhei Takeuchi; Sanaila Waqa, Warner Dearns; Amato Fakatava, Kazuki Himeno, Faulua Makisi.
Replacements: Mamoru Harada, Takayoshi Mohara, Opeti Helu, Epeneri Uluiviti, Kanji Shimokawa, Taiki Koyama, Tomoki Osada, Takuro Matsunaga.
NEW ZEALAND: Stephen Perofeta; Sevu Reece, Billy Proctor, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a; Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard; Tamaiti Williams, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi; Sam Darry, Patrick Tuipulotu (capt); Samipeni Finau, Sam Cane, Wallace Sititi.
Replacements: George Bell, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Fletcher Newell, Josh Lord, Peter Lakai, TJ Perenara, David Havili, Ruben Love.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024
