Rugby-Jones names eight uncapped players in Japan match-day 23 to play Wales
(Reuters) -Japan coach Eddie Jones has named eight uncapped players in his match-day 23 against ailing Wales in Kitakyushu on Saturday, with wing Kippei Ishida and prop Yota Kamimori to start in what are expected to be hot and humid conditions.
The visitors are on a 17-game winless run and desperate for success as they come up against an inexperienced Japan side with a single victory in five that is also in need of a boost.
Ishida forms a back three with wing Malo Tuitama and fullback Takuro Matsunaga, while the centre pairing is Shogo Nakano and Dylan Riley.
Seungsin Lee has been preferred at flyhalf and has Shinobu Fujiwara in the number 9 jersey alongside him.
Kamimori starts in the front row with fellow prop Shuhei Takeuchi and hooker Mamoru Harada. They will have locks Epineri Uluiviti and Warner Dearns behind them in the scrum.
Number eight Amato Fakatava packs down with experienced flankers Michael Leitch and Jack Cornelsen.
There are six uncapped players among the replacements in props Hayate Era and Sena Kimura, lock Waisake Raratubua, scrumhalf Shuntaro Kitamura, flyhalf Ichigo Nakakusu and fullback Halatoa Vailea.
"Inexperience can sometimes be a blessing, particularly in hot conditions. If they get out and play with a lot of energy, a lot of determination, it will be up to the experienced players to steer the ship," Jones told reporters.
Japan have won only once in 10 previous tests against Wales, which was a 23-8 home success in 2013.
Japan team:
15-Takuro Matsunaga, 14-Kippei Ishida, 13-Dylan Riley, 12-Shogo Nakano, 11-Malo Tuitama, 10-Seungsin Lee, 9-Shinobu Fujiwara, 8-Amato Fakatava, 7-Jack Cornelsen, 6-Michael Leitch, 5-Warner Dearns, 4-Epineri Uluiviti, 3-Shuhei Takeuchi, 2-Mamoru Harada, 1-Yota Kamimori
Replacements: 16-Hayate Era, 17-Sena Kimura, 18-Keijiro Tamefusa, 19-Waisake Raratubua, 20-Ben Gunter, 21-Shuntaro Kitamura, 22-Ichigo Nakakusu, 23-Halatoa Vailea.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
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