[EOYT] Japan vs. New Zealand. 02/11/13

[LittleGuy]

Japan vs. New Zealand. 02/11/13, 14:00 JST(18:00 NZDT) Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

Broadcast: New Zealand: Sky (live) Official AB's youtube stream(live not in all markets) Japan: (Let me know I'll try to find it myself but Japan info might be difficult).

The New Zealand All Blacks(1st) stop by Japan(15th) on their way to Europe, for the first test between these two sides to not occur at a RWC. In previous encounters New Zealand ran out 145-17 winners at the 1995 RWC which remains the All Blacks biggest ever margin of victory, more recently they defeated a Japanese Brave Blossoms side resting it's top players 83-7 at the 2011 RWC.


New Zealand

1. Wyatt Crockett (20)
2. Dane Coles (11)
3. Ben Franks (29)
4. Jeremy Thrush (4)
5. Dominic Bird *
6. Steven Luatua (8)
7. Sam Cane (13)
8. Richie McCaw - captain (121)
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (10)
10. Daniel Carter (97)
11. Frank Halai *
12. Francis Saili (1)
13. Ben Smith (22)
14. Charles Piutau (7)
15. Beauden Barrett (14)

Reserves:

16. Andrew Hore (81)
17. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen *
18. Charlie Faumuina (14)
19. Brodie Retallick (21)
20. Luke Whitelock *
21. Aaron Smith (22)
22. Tom Taylor (2)
23. Ryan Crotty (1)


Japan

1- Masataka Mikami (Toshiba Brave Lupus , 9 caps)
2 - Shota Horie (Panasonic Wild Knights , 23 caps)
3 - Kensuke Hatakeyama ( Suntory Sungoliath , 46 caps)
4 - Shoji Ito ( Kobelco Steelers , 17 caps)
5 - Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba Brave Lupus , 73 caps)
6 -Hendrik Tui ( Suntory Sungoliath , 14 caps)
7 -Michael Broadhurst ( Ricoh Black Rams, 12 caps)
8 -Ryu Koliniasi Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights , 25 caps)
9 - Fumiaki Tanaka (Panasonic Wil Knights , 37 caps)
10 - Harumichi Tatekawa ( Kubota Spears, 19 caps)
11- Kenki Fukuoka ( Tsukuba , 7 caps)
12 -Craig Wing ( Kobelco Steelers , 5 caps)
13 -Male Sau (Yamaha Jubilo , 9 caps)
14 - (c) Toshiaki Hirose (Toshiba Brave Lupus , 15 caps)
15 - Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Jubilo , 29 caps)

Substitutes:

16 - Yusuke Aoki ( Suntory Sungoliath , 28 caps)
17 - Yusuke Nagae ( Ricoh Black Rams, 13 caps)
18 - Hiroshi Yamashi*a ( Kobelco Steelers , 25 caps)
19 - Luke Thompson ( Kintetsu Liners, 39 caps)
20 - Takashi Kikutani ( Toyota Verblitz , 63 caps)
21 - Kosei Ono ( Suntory Sungoliath , 18 caps)
22 - Yu Tamura ( NEC Green Rockets , 13 caps)
23 - Yoshikazu Fujita ( Waseda , 9 caps)

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The squad heading to Japan is as follows:

Hookers: Dane Coles, Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu.
Props: Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks and Jeff Toomaga-Allen.
Locks: Dominic Bird, Brodie Retallick and Jeremy Thrush.
Loose Forwards: Sam Cane, Steven Luatua, Richie McCaw and Luke Whitelock.
Half-backs: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter and Tom Taylor.
Centres: Ryan Crotty, Ma'a Nonu and Francis Saili.
Outside backs: Frank Halai, Charles Piutau and Ben Smith.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9817_8994019,00.html

 

[tompaton]

The squad heading to Japan is as follows:

Hookers: Dane Coles, Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu.
Props: Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Ben Franks, Owen Franks and Jeff Toomaga-Allen.
Locks: Dominic Bird, Brodie Retallick and Jeremy Thrush.
Loose Forwards: Sam Cane, Steven Luatua, Richie McCaw and Luke Whitelock.
Half-backs: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Daniel Carter and Tom Taylor.
Centres: Ryan Crotty, Ma'a Nonu and Francis Saili.
Outside backs: Frank Halai, Charles Piutau and Ben Smith.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9817_8994019,00.html

Based on that squad my guess at the line up is:

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Dane Coles
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Jeremy Thrush
6. Steven Luatua
7. Sam Cane
8. Richie McCaw (c)
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
10. Dan Carter
11. Frank Halai
12. Francis Saili
13. Ben Smith
14. Charles Piutau
15. Tom Taylor

16. Keven Mealamu
17. Jeff Toomaga-Allen
18. Ben Franks
19. Dominic Bird
20. Luke Whitelock
21. TJ Perenara
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Ryan Crotty

Carter and McCaw to have a half each, maybe more for Carter as they're looking to give him a good hit out. All Blacks generally don't hand guys a full debut before a few bench appearances so I reckon Whitelock and Bird will enter off the bench. That said they did say they were looking to deepen their resources at 8 so Whitelock might get the nod - although I don't understand how Vito or Shields were overlooked. They said they want Ben Smith to have as much time as possible at centre so that means the only 2 wing options are Piutau and Halai are the only wing options. Then they can either have Barrett or Taylor at full back but I suspect Taylor will get the nod as he has been chosen in a more utility role than Barrett. Saili is seen as the second choice to Nonu so he'll start ahead of Crotty.

 

[Chikwa]

Based on that squad my guess at the line up is:

1. Wyatt Crockett
2. Dane Coles
3. Owen Franks
4. Brodie Retallick
5. Jeremy Thrush
6. Steven Luatua
7. Sam Cane
8. Richie McCaw (c)
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
10. Dan Carter
11. Frank Halai
12. Francis Saili
13. Ben Smith
14. Charles Piutau
15. Tom Taylor

16. Keven Mealamu
17. Jeff Toomaga-Allen
18. Ben Franks
19. Dominic Bird
20. Luke Whitelock
21. TJ Perenara
22. Beauden Barrett
23. Ryan Crotty

Carter and McCaw to have a half each, maybe more for Carter as they're looking to give him a good hit out. All Blacks generally don't hand guys a full debut before a few bench appearances so I reckon Whitelock and Bird will enter off the bench. That said they did say they were looking to deepen their resources at 8 so Whitelock might get the nod - although I don't understand how Vito or Shields were overlooked. They said they want Ben Smith to have as much time as possible at centre so that means the only 2 wing options are Piutau and Halai are the only wing options. Then they can either have Barrett or Taylor at full back but I suspect Taylor will get the nod as he has been chosen in a more utility role than Barrett. Saili is seen as the second choice to Nonu so he'll start ahead of Crotty.

They should stick to their guns and play Luke whitelock at 8.We can know make a direct comparison between him and Keiran read.Or let him play at 6 then we can compare him to messam and hopefully begin to understand why they have picked him! The easiest place to "blood a player should be against the Japanese!"

 

[Big Ewis]

shyt, it's almost there isn't it ?!! The Autumn tests !!!

I don't know what this is going to be like, though...from the AB's perspective I mean.
Are they going to use this match and instrumentalize it as a means to intimidate an eagerly watching Europe, and put a triple digit score on Japan ?
Are they going to just jog through the match and give the Nippon crowd a little showtime, but only just a little and take the easy victory ?
Is this merely a way for the Blacks to "practice" and prepare for the trip to Europe, as they've added Carter and McCaw in apparently so they won't rust out ?

Not sure what to expect from this...but clearly in the end, it's basically *formality*. This isn't really an Autumn test per se. But hey, the Al-Mighty are playing it, so this is to hoping we'll see some pretty tries, as always, but that the Japanese will be full strength and show us a thing or two we couldn't have seen coming.

 

[Hinato]

The team that could be aligned Scott Wisemantel to play the All Blacks should look something like this:


1- Masataka Mikami (Toshiba Brave Lupus) 2 - Shota Horie (Panasonic Wild Knights ) 3 - Hiroshi Yama****a ( Kobelco Steelers ) - 4 Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba Brave Lupus) 5 - Shinya Makabe ( Suntory Sungoliath ) 6 -Hendrik Tui ( Suntory Sungoliath ) 7 -Michael Broadhurst ( Ricoh Black Rams ) 8 - Takashi Kikutani ( Toyota Verblitz ) 9- Fumiaki Tanaka (Panasonic Wild Knights ) 10 - Harumichi Tatekawa ( Kubota Spears ) 11- Kenki Fukuoka ( Tsukuba ) 12 Yu Tamura ( NEC Green Rockets ) 13 -Male Sau (Yamaha Jubilo ) 14 - © Toshiaki Hirose (Toshiba Brave Lupus) 15 - Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Jubilo )


I put Yu Tamura , a hit this season in the league and had a level, instead of Craig Wing , wounded and not recovered I think for the game. Kyosuke Horie , the revelation of the season, could be tenured in the third line to the first but it just seems to me too . Takuma Asahara (Toshiba Brave Lupus) could replace Yama****a 1st line aussi.Le rest is classic with Ono / Makabe in the second line , the beautiful hinge Tanaka / Tatekawa the phenomenon Fukuoka Captain Hirose on the wings , Male Sau center and our solid scorer Goromaru back.

 

[Shaggy]

I'm pretty sure they'll start Ritchie at 7, Luatua at 6, and Luke Whitelock at 8 ... Hansen has made so many statements about finding cover for Read at 8, that they must give Whitelock his opportunity.

... I'm hoping that Perenara at least makes the bench, and gets some decent game time, after all of the injuries that he's had - would like to see Piutau get the game time at full back too, but the squad balance doesn't look like that's possible (unless they play Nonu on the wing)... it looks like they are trying to turn Piutau into a winger in the Cory Jane/Ben Smith mold.

 

[Big Ewis]

Hinato: are you Japanese and you happen to support France, or vice versa, or what ?

Anyways, just a fun fact before going into this match: NZ and Japan are just a bit over 20 points apart on the IRB rankings.

 

[Hinato]

I am French but love Japan. I have a very comprehensive site dedicated to Japanese rugby. New Zealand will be a game of prestige but for Japan the most important game will be Nov. 9 in Scotland to beat the Scots. Also very important because this will be a dress rehearsal two years before the Rugby World Cup 2015 where Scotland and Japan will compete in Pool B Match

 

[Big Ewis]

I am French but love Japan. I have a very comprehensive site dedicated to Japanese rugby. New Zealand will be a game of prestige but for Japan the most important game will be Nov. 9 in Scotland to beat the Scots. Also very important because this will be a dress rehearsal two years before the Rugby World Cup 2015 where Scotland and Japan will compete in Pool B Match

.......soooooo, you're French, quoi !
The French must be the most obsessed one people in the whole entire world with Japanese culture...so do you even follow Top 14 and the XV de France closely or what ??...
And I don't know if the word is "prestige" for Japan ! They're in for quite a treat, alright...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I'm pretty sure they'll start Ritchie at 7, Luatua at 6, and Luke Whitelock at 8 ... Hansen has made so many statements about finding cover for Read at 8, that they must give Whitelock his opportunity.

... I'm hoping that Perenara at least makes the bench, and gets some decent game time, after all of the injuries that he's had - would like to see Piutau get the game time at full back too, but the squad balance doesn't look like that's possible (unless they play Nonu on the wing)... it looks like they are trying to turn Piutau into a winger in the Cory Jane/Ben Smith mold.

This does make sense; with Cane on the bench.

Barrett can also play full back and this will utilise his pace more in broken play. Taylor can then cover fly-half and 12 from the bench.

 

[ABs2011]

For what it is worth, the NZ TAB have the All Blacks as 49 point favorites.

IMO, I think NZ beats the spread. They are a pretty battle hardened and inform team right now. I don't see them easing off, if anything the game just blows out to something really high scoring. I'm just not sure how Japan contains the likes of Saili, Halai and Piutau!

I think this will be a fun one to watch!

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Yes I'd be surprised if NZ didn't put 70 points on Japan...

 

[Big Ewis]

Dan Carter talks about his nightmares and bed-wetting going into this one:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,,3551_8997226,00.html

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

I wouldn't under-estimate Japanese rugby, it is coming along leaps and bounds and they have some very good players (Shota Horie and Fumiaka Tanaka come to mind)

 

[LittleGuy]

Dan Carter talks about his nightmares and bed-wetting going into this one:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,,3551_8997226,00.html

Oh I had a very cheeky and hearty laugh....brilliant Ewis.

In a more serious thought I hope this can be a fun game, the Japanese have shown over the years they can create some great open play and counterattacks themselves and the neutrals could be in for a treat if both sides are willing to run with the ball. I have no illusions on the outcome though, thinking AB's by at least 50 but probably more like 60.

 

[tenpm]

I'm really torn about this game. On one hand, I'm an All Blacks fan and I want them to play well, but on the other hand, I'm still a Japanese citizen at heart and I'd hate to see them get thrashed. Just hoping for a good game, I suppose.

 

[Big Ewis]

Oh I had a very cheeky and hearty laugh....brilliant Ewis.

In a more serious thought I hope this can be a fun game, the Japanese have shown over the years they can create some great open play and counterattacks themselves and the neutrals could be in for a treat if both sides are willing to run with the ball. I have no illusions on the outcome though, thinking AB's by at least 50 but probably more like 60.

That's right, I'm certainly very excited about watching this one. It's one of those 'exotic' match-ups that just don't happen often, two teams who don't know each other well at all as opposed to two teams that constantly meet for 3-test series or what not; and yes Japan's strength has always been the running game. They probably still have as little girth as I remember them to have, scrum wise all that, but they've got some crazy spears in the backs that love speed. Maybe they can actually surprise us and show some attacking precision in this one.

 

[LittleGuy]

All Blacks side has been named and has been added to the top of the thread.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Richie at 8? Interesting. Shame Perenara's not on the bench.

The game's on far too early here in the UK 6am, which will inevitably be a cricket score match; will be saving myself for beers and lunch before the England v Australia game instead.