日本 Nippon Japan v. Aotearoa NZ, match preview & thread, Sat 2 Nov, 5am Irish time

Swiwi.

...or the Land of the Rising Sun v. the Land of the Long White Cloud

NEW ZEALAND: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Charles Piutau, 13 Ben Smith, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Frank Halai, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Richie McCaw (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Dominic Bird, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Ben Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Brodie Retallick, 20, Luke Whitelock, 21 Aaron Smith, 22 Tom Taylor, 23 Ryan Crotty.

Date: Saturday, November 2
Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14:00 local (05:00 GMT)
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)

NZ & Japan will confront this Saturday in a historic first ever test match on Japanese soil. To the best of my knowledge, the 2 sides have never met outside a RWC, but I stand to be corrected.

Steve Hansen successfully petitioned the NZRFU for a game en route to Europe, where he could give some of the less experienced players a taste of preparing for test match rugby without the cushion of senior players. Unfortunately, recent injuries to McCaw & Carter have somewhat altered that plan, but there is nevertheless a definite "B" side/Wolfhounds feel to the team.

In the back 3, fan favourite Beauden Barrett is joined by Charles Piutau and Counties Manukau's Frank Halai. Halai has successfully made the transition from 7s rugby, and a good game would help him firm as the back-up to Julian Savea. In the midfield, Ben Smith gets another outing at 13, while Francis Saili earns a second cap at 12. Dan Carter gets a first start at 10 since being Du Plessis-ed, while Tawera Kerr-Barlow will run on at 9. No-one outside the coaches is too sold on TKB yet, so he needs a big game in the race to back-up Aaron Smith at 9. I'm disappointed TJ Perenara is not on the bench.

In the words of Hansen, Luke Whitelock is "a specialist 8, and the potential back-up to Read", but the coaches have plumped for Rutchie at the back of the scrum. No surprises really - in the unthinkable event of injury to Read, I wouldn't throw the raw Whitelock in against the Frogs or Poms, so in the absence of Victor Vito, McCaw seems the logical choice. Cane & Luatua round out the loose forward trio. The locks are pretty green, Jeremy Thrush joins the uncapped Dominic "Big" Bird in the 2nd row, Bird has all the physical attributes to be a raging success, and at 2.06m is the tallest AB of all time. Ben Franks & Wyatt Crockett get well-deserved starts at prop, and Dane Coles has the hooking duties this time out.

The Japanese team is not named yet, but hand on heart I will not recognise any of their players, except the Highlanders scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka, and no doubt the odd ex-pat Kiwi or two.

This should be an entertaining, albeit relatively one-sided match, in terms of the forth-coming games, the only real point of interest is whether Ben Smith can improve at outside centre, although I'll be keeping a keen eye on Bird at lock. It would be nice for Carter to finish a game uninjured too!

I'm glad NZ are taking the game to new places, yet another test match in Hong Kong in a half-empty stadium against Australia would have been TEDIOUS.

I must finish by wishing the Cheery Blossoms coach Eddie Jones a speedy and full recovery from his recent ill-health, hopefully his team can do the coach proud! エディは、すぐによく得！

Teferi

Swiwi. wrote: »

...or the Land of the Rising Sun v. the Land of the Long White Cloud

Please.

We all know it's Godzilla versus Hobbits.

Teferi

How many times have you faced them in the world cup? I remember that 100+ pasting.

What do you think the scoreline will look like this time?

Swiwi.

Teferi wrote: »

How many times have you faced them in the world cup? I remember that 100+ pasting.

What do you think the scoreline will look like this time?

1987: 2 unofficial tests in Japan (learn something every day)
1995: 145-17 :eek:
2011: 83-7

This particular side hasn't played much together as a combination, but I'd expect us to get at least 50 points, maybe Japan can sneak a try or the odd penalty. I hope it's not too much of a pasting though.

Teferi

Swiwi. wrote: »

1987: 2 unofficial tests in Japan (learn something every day)
1995: 145-17 :eek:
2011: 83-7

This particular side hasn't played much together as a combination, but I'd expect us to get at least 50 points, maybe Japan can sneak a try or the odd penalty. I hope it's not too much of a pasting though.

Me too. I don't think watching your national team take a whipping is good for places where rugby isn't a fully embraced sport if we're to see rugby grow. At the same time minnows need to get big name teams for opposition - there's a balance to be struck.

Swiwi.

Teferi wrote: »

Me too. I don't think watching your national team take a whipping is good for places where rugby isn't a fully embraced sport if we're to see rugby grow. At the same time minnows need to get big name teams for opposition - there's a balance to be struck.

It will be interesting to see. My understanding is that technically Japanese rugby has improved a lot, but they always have the problem of their midget size.

I'm disappointed the ABs aren't playing mid-week games, another ABs v Munster, or maybe Leinster this time round would have been great! I mean 36 players for 4 tests??

19543261

Swiwi. wrote: »

It will be interesting to see. My understanding is that technically Japanese rugby has improved a lot, but they always have the problem of their midget size.

They dont really have the problem anymore, do they? Their forwards looked hefty enough to me last time around, at least.

Swiwi.

19543261 wrote: »

They dont really have the problem anymore, do they? Their forwards looked hefty enough to me last time around, at least.

Maybe they don't. I confess I never watch Japan play rugby outside of the RWC. I highly doubt I watch this game live, unless I randomly wake up at 5am on Saturday (!), but I'll definitely catch a replay.

I just hope NZ have to work for their points - if it's simply catch, pass, run through, dot down, it will be a bit lacklustre to watch.

I'll also be interested to see how much of the Japanese team is actually Japanese, I think I read already that they have an Australian winger.

danthefan

Will not be watching, way too early and it's going to end up about 75-10.

19543261

I have a feeling they'll hold on in the first half, but I just cant see things going well for them all the way through. And it's a true pity too because they do play a beautiful style of rugby.

Even if they get a hammering in the end I reckon it'll still be a game to enjoy. I can see them getting a try or two.

ScissorPaperRock

Swiwi. wrote: »

I wouldn't throw the raw Whitelock in against the Frogs or Poms, so in the absence of Victor Vito, McCaw seems the logical choice.

Swiwi. wrote: »

It will be interesting to see. My understanding is that technically Japanese rugby has improved a lot, but they always have the problem of their midget size.

Did another country sleep with your girlfriend or something, Swiwi?

Buer

19543261 wrote: »

They dont really have the problem anymore, do they? Their forwards looked hefty enough to me last time around, at least.

They've never really struggled to produce players with bulk. The land of sumo wrestling is always going to develop guys with the required weight to play in the pack. They are genetically challenged, however, for height. None of their locks are over 6'4" which is always going to leave them at a distinct disadvantage in certain areas of the game.

freyners

Buer wrote: »

They've never really struggled to produce players with bulk. The land of sumo wrestling is always going to develop guys with the required weight to play in the pack. They are genetically challenged, however, for height. None of their locks are over 6'4" which is always going to leave them at a distinct disadvantage in certain areas of the game.

Maybe we can hav esome sort of exchange program, we send them so locks to give birth to lads of the required height and they send us props so we can developed lads of the required bulk:D

Tristram

I was really disappointed not to get tickets to this Would have been a great day out.

As to the comment about a lack of bulk I'd put a lot of the blame on some pretty out-dated training methods over here. The game is advancing and will continue to but there's not enough attention being paid to bringing in quality coaches. Hopefully that changes.

Swiwi.

Tristram wrote: »

I was really disappointed not to get tickets to this Would have been a great day out.

As to the comment about a lack of bulk I'd put a lot of the blame on some pretty out-dated training methods over here. The game is advancing and will continue to but there's not enough attention being paid to bringing in quality coaches. Hopefully that changes.

Would you have the Japanese team announcement? Haven't seen it listed anywhere.

Swiwi.

Teferi wrote: »

Please.

We all know it's Godzilla versus Hobbits.

Julian Savea not playing this week :P

LeeroyJones

Numbers may be slightly off but this is the team from the Japan RFU site

1. Masataka Mikami
2 Shota Horie
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama
4. Shoji Ito
5. Hitoshi Ono
6. Hendrik Tui
7. Michael Broadhurst
8. Ryu Koliniasi Holani

9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Harumichi Tatekawa
11. Kenki Fukuoka
12. Craig Wing
13. Male Sa'u
14. Toshiaki Hirose
15. Ayumu Goromaru

P_1

Bookies are expecting a tight one here it seems, handicap is set at the 50 point mark...

Swiwi.

LeeroyJones wrote: »

Numbers may be slightly off but this is the team from the Japan RFU site

1. Masataka Mikami
2 Shota Horie
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama
4. Shoji Ito
5. Hitoshi Ono
6. Hendrik Tui
7. Michael Broadhurst
8. Ryu Koliniasi Holani

9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Harumichi Tatekawa
11. Kenki Fukuoka
12. Craig Wing
13. Male Sa'u
14. Toshiaki Hirose
15. Ayumu Goromaru

I recognise 2 players: Tanaka & the ubiquitous Kiwi Broadhurst who played for the Crusaders.

.ak

LeeroyJones wrote: »

Numbers may be slightly off but this is the team from the Japan RFU site

1. Masataka Mikami
2 Shota Horie
3. Kensuke Hatakeyama
4. Shoji Ito
5. Hitoshi Ono
6. Hendrik Tui
7. Michael Broadhurst
8. Ryu Koliniasi Holani

9. Fumiaki Tanaka
10. Harumichi Tatekawa
11. Kenki Fukuoka
12. Craig Wing
13. Male Sa'u
14. Toshiaki Hirose
15. Ayumu Goromaru

Damnit, why couldn't Craig Wing play on 11 or 14?

P_1

.ak wrote: »

Damnit, why couldn't Craig Wing play on 11 or 14?

Feck there's a player name that's up there with the Sinotti Squared

keano_afc

.ak wrote: »

Damnit, why couldn't Craig Wing play on 11 or 14?

Think he would have been more at home in NZ's second row in fairness...:pac:

Tristram

Bad mistake there. Can't give away tries like that.

Teferi

Final score 6 - 54. Apparently the first 20 or so minutes where quite competitive before the floodgates opened.

Swiwi.

Teferi wrote: »

Final score 6 - 54. Apparently the first 20 or so minutes where quite competitive before the floodgates opened.

Fairly desperate game of rugby. It's not often I state that someone is not worthy of a black jersey but Kerr-Barlow is a very average scrum half.

On the plus side much like your favourite teddy as a kid it was all warm & fuzzy seeing McCaw & Carter out there. And Charles Piutau was great! No one else said pick me for France though.