Get ready for a spice-up in the rugby world this Saturday as Japan hosts the Wallabies in Tokyo, with a fresh face on the bench ready to shake things up. Tyler Paul, a South African-born utility forward, is poised to make his Test debut for Eddie Jones' Brave Blossoms, and it's set to be a humdinger of a match.
Paul, a versatile player who can hold his own both as a lock and a loose forward, has been playing in Japan since 2021, turning out for teams like the NTT Red Hurricanes, Urayasu D-Rocks, and Kubota Spears. Thanks to his stint in Japan, he's now qualified to represent the country on residency grounds. His inclusion is just one of the tactical tweaks made by Jones, following Japan's recent loss to Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup final.
The team sees six changes to its starting lineup. The forward pack welcomes back Michael Leitch at No. 8, Ben Gunter at blindside, and shifts Kanji Shimokawa to openside. The backline sees some shuffling too, with Yoshitaka Yazaki making a return at fullback, Kippei Ishida taking up the right wing, and Tomoki Osada switching to the left.
"I enjoy beating Australia,"
Jones declared, bringing a cheeky grin to the pre-match press conference. Having coached against Australia ten times while with England, securing nine wins, Jones relishes these high-stakes matchups.
Despite the Brave Blossoms never having secured a win against the Wallabies in their six previous encounters, the stage is set for an electrifying game. The action kicks off bright and early at Japan's National Stadium, promising a thrilling display of international rugby.
Teams:
JAPAN – 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Lee Seung-sin, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Michael Leitch (c), 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Kenta Kobayashi. Bench: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Tiennan Costley, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Charlie Lawrence, 23 Sam Greene.
With a fresh player set to debut and a coach with a point to prove, this match isn't just another Test—it's a statement. Get your jerseys ready, folks, this one's going to be a cracker!
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Get ready for a spice-up in the rugby world this Saturday as Japan hosts the Wallabies in Tokyo, with a fresh face on the bench ready to shake things up. Tyler Paul, a South African-born utility forward, is poised to make his Test debut for Eddie Jones' Brave Blossoms, and it's set to be a humdinger of a match.
Paul, a versatile player who can hold his own both as a lock and a loose forward, has been playing in Japan since 2021, turning out for teams like the NTT Red Hurricanes, Urayasu D-Rocks, and Kubota Spears. Thanks to his stint in Japan, he's now qualified to represent the country on residency grounds. His inclusion is just one of the tactical tweaks made by Jones, following Japan's recent loss to Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup final.
The team sees six changes to its starting lineup. The forward pack welcomes back Michael Leitch at No. 8, Ben Gunter at blindside, and shifts Kanji Shimokawa to openside. The backline sees some shuffling too, with Yoshitaka Yazaki making a return at fullback, Kippei Ishida taking up the right wing, and Tomoki Osada switching to the left.
"I enjoy beating Australia,"
Jones declared, bringing a cheeky grin to the pre-match press conference. Having coached against Australia ten times while with England, securing nine wins, Jones relishes these high-stakes matchups.Despite the Brave Blossoms never having secured a win against the Wallabies in their six previous encounters, the stage is set for an electrifying game. The action kicks off bright and early at Japan's National Stadium, promising a thrilling display of international rugby.
Teams:
JAPAN – 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Lee Seung-sin, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Michael Leitch (c), 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Kenta Kobayashi. Bench: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Tiennan Costley, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Charlie Lawrence, 23 Sam Greene.
With a fresh player set to debut and a coach with a point to prove, this match isn't just another Test—it's a statement. Get your jerseys ready, folks, this one's going to be a cracker!