Ben Te’o to play for Sunwolves in 2020

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England's Ben Te'o during the training session at Pennyhill Park, Bagshot. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday November 6, 2018. See PA story RUGBYU England. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only, No commercial use without prior permission

England and British and Irish Lions centre Ben Te’o is one of several new players who will line up for the Sunwolves in Super Rugby next year.

Ahead of what will be their last season in Super Rugby, the Tokyo-based outfit announced a preliminary list of 15 players on Tuesday and there were many familiar names included.

Former NRL star Te’o played 16 Tests for England under Eddie Jones but was not selected for their squad which participated at the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan. Te’o is currently playing for Toulon in the Top 14 after stints with PRO14 outfit Leinster and Worcester Warriors in the Premiership.

Also suiting up for the Sunwolves will be former Wallabies, Reds and Rebels back-row Jake Schatz, who won a Super Rugby title with the Reds in 2011 and was capped twice by Australia in 2014. Schatz has been playing for London Irish for the last three years.

Two recently departed Brumbies are also set to suit up for the Sunwolves, with utility back Jordan Jackson-Hope and injury-plagued back-row Ben Hyne also announced for the 2020 season.

Another familiar face who has been included in the Sunwolves squad is ex-Sharks fly-half Garth April. April, who earned a call-up to the Springboks squad for their series against Ireland in 2016, has been plying his trade in Japan’s Top League with the Shining Arcs this year which has helped him to force his way into the Sunwolves set-up.

Tongan Test back-row Onehunga Kaufusi, who came through the Western Force academy and played for the Spirit and the Force in 2016/17, is also among the Sunwolves’ list of 2020 players.

There were no Top League players listed in the preliminary squad, furthering speculation about leading Japanese players not being released to play in Super Rugby.

Earlier this year, the Japanese Rugby Football Union elected to not fund the Sunwolves’ continued involvement in Super Rugby from 2021 onwards, preferring to instead focus on developing their own competitions.

Preliminary Sunwolves squad:

Sione Asi, Jarred Adams, Leni Apasai, Jaba Bregvadze, Ben Hyne, Tom Rowe, Brendon O’Connor, Mitch Jacobson, Jake Schatz, Onehunga Kaufusi, Naoto Saito, Garth April, Jordan Jackson-Hope, Ben Te’o, Siosaia Fifita

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