In a move that smells as fresh as sushi, Japan's head honcho Eddie Jones has rolled out the red carpet for a powerhouse South African to beef up his team's attack. Dylan Riley, a South African transplant, is set to inject some serious muscle into the Brave Blossoms' lineup this Saturday in Kitakyushu, taking on a Welsh team that might be wishing they’d stayed home.
Riley, who took his first rugby steps in Durban before hopping over to school in Australia, has been nothing short of a revelation in the land of the rising sun. Since debuting in 2021, this 27-year-old centre has become the linchpin of Jones’s squad, promising to turn the field into his playground when he pairs up with Shogo Nakano against the Welsh.
"He’s got great feet, great aerial skills – it was impossible not to select him,"
said Jones, who might just have found his golden ticket in Riley. But let's not forget about the pocket rocket, Kippei Ishida, standing tall at 1.67m but playing like he’s atop Mount Fuji. Jones sees a spark in him reminiscent of Cheslin Kolbe, another high-flyer known for leaving defenders in the dust.
Meanwhile, the Welsh team might be hearing the Banzai chants in their nightmares, arriving in Japan with a cringe-worthy 17-match losing streak. That's the kind of record you'd hide at family gatherings. As they gear up to face a Japanese side buzzing with energy, the contrast couldn’t be starker.
Leading the Japanese charge is the seasoned warrior Michael Leitch, captaining the team for his 88th cap. With his experience and the youthful zest of his teammates, this squad is looking more balanced than a sumo wrestler on one foot.
As the teams line up this weekend, all eyes will be on whether the Welsh can snap their losing streak or if the Brave Blossoms, led by their South African ace and a high-flying wing, can continue to blossom right before our eyes. Either way, grab your popcorn (or sushi roll, in this case) because this game is shaping up to be an absolute cracker.
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In a move that smells as fresh as sushi, Japan's head honcho Eddie Jones has rolled out the red carpet for a powerhouse South African to beef up his team's attack. Dylan Riley, a South African transplant, is set to inject some serious muscle into the Brave Blossoms' lineup this Saturday in Kitakyushu, taking on a Welsh team that might be wishing they’d stayed home.
Riley, who took his first rugby steps in Durban before hopping over to school in Australia, has been nothing short of a revelation in the land of the rising sun. Since debuting in 2021, this 27-year-old centre has become the linchpin of Jones’s squad, promising to turn the field into his playground when he pairs up with Shogo Nakano against the Welsh.
"He’s got great feet, great aerial skills – it was impossible not to select him,"
said Jones, who might just have found his golden ticket in Riley. But let's not forget about the pocket rocket, Kippei Ishida, standing tall at 1.67m but playing like he’s atop Mount Fuji. Jones sees a spark in him reminiscent of Cheslin Kolbe, another high-flyer known for leaving defenders in the dust.Meanwhile, the Welsh team might be hearing the Banzai chants in their nightmares, arriving in Japan with a cringe-worthy 17-match losing streak. That's the kind of record you'd hide at family gatherings. As they gear up to face a Japanese side buzzing with energy, the contrast couldn’t be starker.
Leading the Japanese charge is the seasoned warrior Michael Leitch, captaining the team for his 88th cap. With his experience and the youthful zest of his teammates, this squad is looking more balanced than a sumo wrestler on one foot.
As the teams line up this weekend, all eyes will be on whether the Welsh can snap their losing streak or if the Brave Blossoms, led by their South African ace and a high-flying wing, can continue to blossom right before our eyes. Either way, grab your popcorn (or sushi roll, in this case) because this game is shaping up to be an absolute cracker.