Japan team v Springboks: Eddie Jones makes two alterations with captaincy changing hands
Japan head coach Eddie Jones (inset) and captain Michael Leitch.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones has made a couple of changes to his run-on side for their Autumn Nations Series Test against South Africa at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Brave Blossoms started their end-of-year campaign with a competitive performance against Australia in Tokyo last weekend before suffering a narrow 19-15 defeat in that encounter.
And Jones has rewarded the bulk of his matchday squad who were in action against the Wallabies with only Charlie Lawrence (inside centre) and Kenji Sato (hooker) promoted to the run-on side as replacements for Shogo Nakano and Hayate Era for the eagerly anticipated clash with the Springboks.
Amongst the backs, Yoshitaka Yazaki starts at full-back and is joined in the back three by Kippei Ishida and Tomoki Osada, who are the two wingers, while Dylan Riley will combine with Lawrence in midfield.
The backline is completed by Lee Seung-sin and Shinobu Fujiwara, who are the starting half-backs.
Captaincy changes hands
Meanwhile, in the forwards, veteran loose forward Michael Leitch, who returned to Test action against the Wallabies, retains his spot at number eight and takes over the captaincy from Warner Dearns, who continues at lock.
It will be case of deja vu for Leitch as he was also Japan‘s skipper when they claimed a shock victory over the Boks during a Rugby World Cup pool match in Brighton in 2015.
Leitch is joined in the back-row by flankers Kanji Shimokawa and Ben Gunter while Jack Cornelsen will be alongside Dearns in the second-row for the second successive week.
Up front, Sato will pack down alongside Shuhei Takeuchi and Kenta Kobayashi, who are the starting props.
Jones has opted for a tradition five/three split on his replacements bench with Shodai Hirao, Ryosuke Iwaihara, Keijiro Tamefusa, Tyler Paul and Faulua Makisi offering forward cover while Kenta Fukuda, Sam Greene and Tiennan Costley are the backline reinforcements.
Team to face South Africa
Japan: 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Charlie Lawrence, 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 Kenji Sato, 1 Kenta Kobayashi
Replacements: 16 Shodai Hirao, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Faulua Makisi, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Sam Greene, 23 Tiennan Costley
Date: Saturday, November 1
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
Kick-off: 16:10 GMT (18:10 SAST)
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR), Adam Leal (RFU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
FPRO: Tual Trainini (FFR)