Japan’s head coach, Jamie Joseph, has announced a 36-man squad in line with the country’s preparations for the Rugby World Cup in France, aimed at forging a “strong connection” months before the tournament. Japan aims to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and with this in mind, Joseph has named nine uncapped players alongside World Cup veterans. Amongst them are winger Kotaro Matsushima and flankers Michael Leitch and Kazuki Himeno. Additionally, Joseph named a wider training squad of ten players, including Pieter Labuschagne, captain of the 2019 World Cup team.
Two training camps will prepare the squad for games against a New Zealand XV team, along with home Test matches against Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. An away match against Italy will follow before the World Cup opening match against Chile in Toulouse on September 10.
Joseph, a New Zealand native, said he would bring the group up to test-match standards and “reforge a strong connection within the team ahead of what will be an incredibly exciting and challenging year.” He added that Japan had a lot of work to do before their upcoming matches in Japan and on to Italy, before heading to France for the World Cup.
Japan will take on England, Samoa, and Argentina in Pool D at the World Cup.
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