Stats and Facts: Japan vs New Zealand
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Stats and Facts: Japan vs New Zealand
22 Stats and facts ahead of New Zealand's clash with Japan.
Stay up to date with the latest news on the clash, see the stats and much more HERE
1. New Zealand have won all three previous encounters against Japan, however, the two teams have not faced off since November 2013 when the All Blacks won 54-6.
2. Japan have won just three of their last eight games (D1, L4), having won five on the bounce prior to this period.
3. Japan have tasted defeat in all four of their previous games at Ajinomoto Stadium, the only ground in Tokyo where they have played but are yet to record a Test victory.
4. This will be New Zealand's first ever Test match at this venue.
5. New Zealand are yet to lose on Japanese soil and average 41 points scored per game across their three games thereafter victories over Australia (2009), Japan (2013) and Australia (2018).
6. New Zealand’s total of 145 points scored against Japan in 1995 remains their highest ever total in a Test match, their biggest Test win over any team and Japan’s largest ever Test defeat.
7. Japan have scored just 28 points per game when playing in their home country in 2018; only once in the previous 13 calendar years did they average fewer points per game in Japan (18 points per game in 2011).
8. Japan have failed to score a first-half try in their last two games, while they have never scored a first-half try against the All Blacks.
9. New Zealand have scored 30+ points in their last four games away from home – they have not scored 30+ points in five straight away games since a seven-game stretch between 1999 and 2000.
10. New Zealand’s Luke Whitelock made 205 tackles in the Super Rugby competition this season, the third-most of any player behind only Franco Mostert (234) and Matt Todd (209).
11. Japan’s Lomano Lemeki made 12 clean breaks and beat 24 defenders in Super Rugby 2018, the third-most for the Sunwolves in each category and has scored seven tries in his previous eight Test appearances for the Cherry Blossoms.
12. As well as Luke Whitelock, Dane Coles also played the 2013 Test against Japan in what was his fourth Test start.
13. This is the least experienced All Blacks outfit since the fabled 1986 Baby Blacks side famously flattened France 18-9 in Christchurch.
14. Ajinomoto Stadium has a capacity of 49 000.
15. The opening ceremony and eight matches will be played there, including the All Blacks' Pool match against Namibia
16. Luke Whitelock joins brother Sam as the only set of brothers to both captain the All Blacks in a Test match
17. Hiroshi Yamashita will make his 50th appearance for Japan in this match
18. Jamie Henry and Isileli Nakajima are set to make their debut in this clash.
19. Dane Coles returns to the All Blacks starting line up having last featured in a test match against France in November last year.
20. 8 Players are set to make their test debuts in this clash. Dalton Papali'i and Matt Proctor start while there are 6 potential debuts on the bench.
21. Mitchell Drummond and Dillon Hunt could make their second appearance for the All Blacks but will earn their first test caps if used off the bench after featuring against the France XV last November.
22. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Jackson Hemopo and Angus Ta'avao all earn their first test starts in this clash.
