Pacific Nations Cup | Japan

Number of tournaments: 12
Best finish: Champions (2011, 2014, 2019)
Most points in a match: 41 (41-7 v Tonga in 2019)
Biggest win: 34 (as above)
Did You Know? Japan will this year host the inaugural Finals Series in September.

Current form

World Ranking: 14th
Form*: LLLLW

Key team info

Kit colour: Cherry red and white
Team logo: Cherry blossom petals
Nickname: Brave Blossoms
Known for: Super-fast rugby and striking from anywhere on the pitch.

Head Coach: Eddie Jones
What can be said about Eddie Jones that hasn’t already been said? A controversial, highly quotable workaholic who continues to divide opinion. Some can’t work with him, others – like his perennial right-hand man Neal Hatley – can’t get enough. The inspiration behind Japan’s stunning Rugby World Cup 2015 victory over South Africa is still waiting for his first win in his second spell as Brave Blossoms head coach. He’ll be desperate to disprove the notion that sometimes it’s best not to retrace your own footsteps.

Captain: Harumichi Tatekawa
The man who played the penultimate pass in the most famous passage of play in Japanese rugby history when the Brave Blossoms beat South Africa, Harumichi Tatekawa has been in the international wilderness for much of the last seven years. The centre has made just two test appearances in that time but was brought back into the fold by Eddie Jones for the matches against the Māori All Blacks. Tatekawa captains his club side, Kubota Spears and will add much-needed leadership and experience to a young Japan squad.

Legend: Ayumu Goromaru
Goromaru went from unknown office worker to box office rugby superstar overnight. The full-back put 24 of Japan’s points on the board as Japan pulled off the greatest upset in Men’s Rugby World Cup history with a 34-32 victory against South Africa at RWC 2015 and was named at number 15 in the tournament’s ‘Dream Team’.

In brief

With veterans like Shota Horie and Fumiaki Tanaka having now retired, Eddie Jones used the recent July internationals to blood players with RWC 2027 in mind. The team he is building is one for the future, and one shaped along Jones’ principles of playing super-fast rugby – or ‘Chosoku Rugby’, as it is known in Japan –  the type that sets the pulses racing.

Jones has drawn inspiration from other sports, where teams have been successful putting the emphasis on speed and movement over physical size and strength, citing the NBA's Golden State Warriors and Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup-winning football team as examples. An expectant public will want results, too, though, and a world ranking of 14th reflects how things have slipped since they reached an historic RWC quarter-final in 2019.

Squad

Jones has named a youthful 35-player squad for the Pacific Nations Cup.

Only four players included have won more than 20 caps, while 21 have 10 caps or fewer and seven members of the squad are yet to play at test level.

Forwards: Takato Okabe, Shogo Miura, Takayoshi Mohara, Atsushi Sakate, Mamoru Harada, Kenta Matsuoka, Ysuske Kizu, Shuhei Takeuchi, Keijiro Tamefusa, Epineri Uluiviti, Eishin Kuwano, Sanaila Waqa, Warner Dearns, Amanaki Saumaki, Kanji Shimokawa, Tiennan Costley, Isaiah Mapusua, Kai Yamamoto, Faulua Makisi.

Backs: Taiki Koyama, Shinobu Fujiwara, Yamato Murata, Rikiya Matsuda, Seungsin Lee, Kohaku Ebisawa, Koga Nezuka, Harumichi Tatekawa, Samisoni Tua, Tomoki Osada, Nicholas McCurran, Dylan Riley, Malo Tuitama, Jone Naikabula, Yoshitaka Yazaki, Takuya Yamasawa.

*Tests only