Historic Rugby Fixture British and Irish Lions v Japan at Murrayfield, For the first time in rugby union history, Japan will play the British and Irish Lions.

It will be an exciting occasion and Japan will be determined to send the Lions off on their tour to South Africa with a defeat. Japan will take on some of the best players from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

If Japan replicate the skill and intensity they produced during from the World Cups of 2015 and 2019, then victory can be theirs.

The Lions have picked a squad that boasts a mixture of power and pace. Japan will endeavour to meet that challenge with the fast style of play that we have become accustomed to.

The Lions play together every four years. The make-up of the squad means that many of the players haven’t played together in a long time, some never at all.

They’ll be rusty and will be trying out different combinations before they take on the Springboks. It will be an excellent opportunity for Japan to register a win against Britain and Ireland’s best.

Japan is developing into a formidable team. The historic win against South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup will live in the memory as one of the great upsets in the game.

Japan didn’t sit back to bask in the glory of that win. Instead, they have been driven to get better and better. What they achieved in the 2019 Rugby World Cup showed just how far they have come.

In their own World Cup, they recorded wins against tier-one nations Ireland and Scotland and reached the quarter-finals of the competition.

Against the Lions, head coach Jamie Joseph will want his team to keep the ball alive and employ a high tempo game plan.

They must not allow the Lions to settle into the match and must continually move the ball and change the point of attack.

The Lions have picked world-class lineout operators. Japan must target them and disrupt the lineout as much as possible because the lineout will be a springboard for the Lions attack.

In late June, the ground in Murrayfield will be firm and fast, and that will suit Japans game plan perfectly. They’ll be taking on world-class players like Alun Wyn Jones, Maro Itoje, Stuart Hogg and Conor Murray.

It will be an epic battle and I think it will be close. Japan will be highly motivated to add a Lions scalp to the Springbok one they took in 2015.

Michael Leitch will lead the Japan v Lions in Edinburgh. As captain, he’s always been an example for the rest of the team to follow, determined and courageous.

Japan will play with pride and passion in this historic game. The contest will prepare the British and Irish Lions well for South Africa because Japan will push them all the way and make them work hard for the win.

Japan National TeamWider Training Squad for 2021 was Announced on May 24, the final squad members went through a team camp in Beppu, Oita, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu from May 26 to June 8. As previously announced, the Brave Blossoms played a warm-up match at ECOPA Stadium in Shizuoka on June 12, against the Sun wolves.

British & Irish Lions V Japan

The Brave Blossoms are scheduled to fly to Scotland on June 16 to take on the British & Irish Lions at BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh on June 26.

British & Irish Lions Website: Link

The Japan National Team Wider Training Squad for 2021

Forward: 29

Position | Name | Club Team | Graduate | cm | kg | DO.B | Caps
PR | Shunsuke ASAOKA | TOYOTA Verblitz | Teikyo Univ. | 186 | 121 | 1996/06/24 | –
PR | Keita INAGAKI | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Kanto Gakuin Univ. | 186 | 116 | 1990/06/02 | 34
PR | Asaeli Ai VALU | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Saitama Institute of Technology Univ. | 187 | 115 | 1989/05/07 | 14
PR | Shinnosuke KAKINAGA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Waseda Univ. | 180 | 115 | 1991/12/19 | 9
PR | Kengo KITAGAWA | KUBOTA Spears | Dosisha Univ. | 178 | 110 | 1992/08/27 | 3
PR | Jiwon KOO | HONDA Heat | Takushoku Univ. | 183 | 118 | 1994/07/20 | 13
PR | Isileli NAKAJIMA | KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers | Ryutsu Keizai Univ. | 186 | 125 | 1989/07/09 | 8
PR | Craig MILLAR | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Univ. of Otago | 186 | 116 | 1990/10/29 | –
PR | Yukio MORIKAWA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Teikyo Univ. | 180 | 113 | 1993/02/06 | –
HO | Atsushi SAKATE | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Teikyo Univ. | 180 | 104 | 1993/06/21 | 21
HO | Shunta NAKAMURA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Meiji Univ. | 176 | 100 | 1994/02/28 | –
HO | Yoshikatsu HIKOSAKA | TOYOTA Verblitz | Tsukuba Univ. | 178 | 99 | 1991/01/18 | –
HO | Kosuke HORIKOSHI | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Teikyo Univ. | 175 | 100 | 1995/06/02 | 2
LO | Mark ABBOTT | Munakata SANIX Blues | Uniｖ. of Canterbury | 197 | 111 | 1990/02/20 | –
LO | Wimpie VAN DER WALT | NTT DOCOMO Red Hurricanes | Nelspruit HS | 188 | 112 | 1989/01/06 | 16
LO | Ryota HASEGAWA | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Daito Bunka Univ. | 188 | 100 | 1993/05/12 | –
LO | Uwe HELU | YAMAHA Jubilo | Takushoku Univ. | 193 | 113 | 1990/07/12 | 16
LO | James MOORE | Munakata SANIX Blues | Brisbane State HS | 195 | 110 | 1993/06/11 | 8
LO | Liaki MOLI | HINO Red Dolphins | St. Paul’s College | 197 | 110 | 1990/01/04 | –
FL | Naoki OZAWA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Keio Univ. | 182 | 102 | 1988/10/08 | 4
FL | Ben GUNTER | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Brisbane Boys’College | 195 | 120 | 1997/10/24 | –
FL | Jack CORNELSEN | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Univ. of Queensland | 195 | 110 | 1994/10/13 | –
FL | Shuhei MATSUHASHI | RICOH Black Rams | Meiji Univ. | 180 | 99 | 1993/11/24 | 8
FL | Pieter LABUSCHAGNE | KUBOTA Spears | Univ. of the Free State | 189 | 106 | 1989/01/11 | 8
FL | Michael LEITCH | TOSHIBA Brave Lupus | Tokai Univ. | 189 | 113 | 1988/10/07 | 68
No.8 | Tevita TATAFU | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Tokai Univ. | 183 | 124 | 1996/01/02 | 3
No.8 | Lui NAEATA | KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers | Ryutsu Keizai Univ. | 193 | 118 | 1994/02/02 | –
No.8 | Amanaki Lelei MAFI | CANON Eagles | Hanazono Univ. | 189 | 112 | 1990/01/11 | 27
No.8 | Kazuki HIMENO | TOYOTA Verblitz | Teikyo Univ. | 187 | 112 | 1994/07/27 | 17

Backs: 23

Position | Name | Club Team | Graduate | cm | kg | DO.B | Caps
SH | Koki ARAI | CANON Eagles | Teikyo Univ. | 175 | 80 | 1993/05/14 | –
SH | Taiki KOYAMA | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Daito Bunka Univ. | 171 | 74 | 1994/10/31 | –
SH | Naoto SAITO | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Waseda Univ. | 165 | 73 | 1997/08/26 | –
SH | Kaito SHIGENO | TOYOTA Verblitz | Daito Bunka Univ. | 170 | 75 | 1990/11/21 | 10
SO | Yu TAMURA | CANON Eagles | Meiji Univ. | 181 | 92 | 1989/01/09 | 63
SO | Doga MAEDA | NTT Communications ShiningArcs | Tsukuba Univ. | 178 | 88 | 1996/11/30 | 4
SO | Rikiya MATSUDA | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Teikyo Univ. | 181 | 92 | 1994/05/03 | 24
WTB | Shota EMI | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Gakushuin Univ. | 1991 | 95 | 1991/12/08 | –
WTB | Jone NAIKABULA | TOSHIBA Brave Lupus | Setsunan Univ. | 177 | 95 | 1994/04/12 | –
WTB | Siosaia FIFITA | KINTETSU Liners | Tenri Univ. | 187 | 105 | 1998/12/20 | –
WTB | Shogo NAKANO | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Waseda Univ. | 186 | 98 | 1997/06/11 | –
WTB | Kotaro MATSUSHIMA | ASM Clermont Auvergne | Toin Gakuen HS | 178 | 88 | 1993/02/26 | 39
WTB | Ataata MOEAKIOLA | KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers | Tokai Univ. | 186 | 108 | 1996/02/06 | 4
WTB | Lomano Lava LEMEKI | Munakata SANIX Blues | Runcorn HS | 177 | 94 | 1989/01/20 | 15
CTB | Yusuke KAJIMURA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Meiji Univ. | 181 | 95 | 1995/09/13 | 1
CTB | Shane GATES | NTT Communications ShiningArcs | Muir College Boys’ HS | 183 | 95 | 1992/09/27 | –
CTB | Ryoto NAKAMURA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Teikyo Univ. | 181 | 92 | 1991/06/03 | 24
CTB | Dylan RILEY | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Tｈe Southport School | 187 | 102 | 1997/05/02 | –
CTB | Timothy LAFAELE | KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers | Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. | 186 | 100 | 1991/08/19 | 23
FB | Seiya OZAKI | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Teikyo Univ. | 175 | 85 | 1995/07/11 | 3
FB | Ryuji NOGUCHI | PANASONIC Wild Knights | Tokai Univ. | 177 | 83 | 1995/07/15 | 13
FB | Gerhard van den HEEVER | KUBOTA Spears | Univ. of Pretoria | 192 | 102 | 1989/04/13 | –
FB | Ryohei YAMANAKA | KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers | Waseda Univ. | 188 | 100 | 1988/06/22 | 18

British & Irish Lions V Japan

Team Staff

Position | Name | Organization
National Team Director | Yuichiro FUJII | Japan Rugby Football Union
Head Coach | Jamie JOSEPH | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant Coach | Tony BROWN | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant Coach | Scott HANSEN | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant Coach | Shin HASEGAWA | Japan Rugby Football Union
Strength & Conditioning Coach | Andrew BEARDMORE | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Chihiro OTA | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Adam KEEN | Munakata SANIX Blues
Analyst | Andrew WATTS | Otago Highlanders
Analyst | Shumpei HAMANO | Japan Rugby Football Union
Team Doctor | Sohei TAKAMORI | Yokohama Minami Kyosai Hospital
Performance Coordinator | Karl MCDONALD | Japan Rugby Football Union
Athletic Trainer | Takehiko HAMANO | Musashino Atlastars Orthpedic Sports Clinic
Physiotherapist | Satoshi KUNITSUGU | Yokohama Sports Medical Center
Mental Coach | David GALBRAITH | Japan Rugby Football Union
Interpreter | Nao YOSHIMIZU | Japan Rugby Football Union
Baggage Master and Assistant Interpreter | Josh WESTBROOK | Japan Rugby Football Union
Team Manager | Takenori OMURA | Japan Rugby Football Union
Assistant | Yumiko SASABAYASHI | Japan Rugby Football Union
Team Media Manager | Sayuri SHIDA | Japan Rugby Football Union