SA-born centre Dylan Riley has been named in the Japan starting XV to face New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday.
Born in Durban and raised in Australia, Riley plays alongside Damian de Allende at Japanese club Wild Knights, and starred for the Brave Blossoms in the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.
Meanwhile, loose forward Kazuki Himeno has been named in Japan’s run-on lineup for the first time since last year’s Rugby World Cup as Eddie Jones on Thursday named his side for the clash against the All Blacks.
Himeno, who captained Japan at the World Cup in France, played for Super Rugby’s Highlanders in 2021 where he was named Rookie of the Year.
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Flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa, 34, captains Japan while uncapped Opeti Helu and Takuri Matsunaga were named among the replacements.
New Zealand beat Japan 38-31 in Tokyo two years ago in the most recent meeting of the two teams. Japan, who lost to Fiji in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup last month, will follow up this match against the All Blacks with a trip to Europe to face France, Uruguay (in France) and England.
Japan – 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Jone Naikabula, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Nicholas McCurran, 11 Malo Tuitama, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa (c), 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Kazuki Himeno, 6 Amato Fakatava, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Sanaila Waqa, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Atsushi Sakate, 1 Takato Okabe.
Subs: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Takayoshi Mohara, 18 Opeti Helu, 19 Epineri Uluiviti, 20 Kanji Shimokawa, 21 Taiki Koyama, 22 Tomoki Osada, 23 Takuro Matsunaga.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Toru Hanai/Getty Images
