Saffa to front All Blacks for Japan

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SA-born centre Dylan Riley has been named in the Japan starting XV to face New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday.

Born in Durban and raised in Australia, Riley plays alongside Damian de Allende at Japanese club Wild Knights, and starred for the Brave Blossoms in the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup.

Meanwhile, loose forward Kazuki Himeno has been named in Japan's run-on lineup for the first time since last year's Rugby World Cup as Eddie Jones on Thursday named his side for the clash against the All Blacks.

Himeno, who captained Japan at the World Cup in France, will return from injury. The 30-year-old played for Super Rugby's Highlanders in 2021 where he was named Rookie of the Year.

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Flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa, 34, will captain Japan, who lost to Fiji in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup last month. Uncapped Opeti Helu and Takuri Matsunaga were named among the replacements.

New Zealand won 38-31 in the most recent meeting of the two teams, two years ago in Tokyo. Japan will travel to Europe after the match to face France, Uruguay and England.

Japan – 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Jone Naikabula, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Nicholas McCurran, 11 Malo Tuitama, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa (c), 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Kazuki Himeno, 6 Amato Fakatava, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Sanaila Waqa, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Atsushi Sakate, 1 Takato Okabe.
Subs: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Takayoshi Mohara, 18 Opeti Helu, 19 Epineri Uluiviti, 20 Kanji Shimokawa, 21 Taiki Koyama, 22 Tomoki Osada, 23 Takuro Matsunaga.

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Toru Hanai/Getty Images

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