Manu Samoa to Take on New Rugby Giants Japan

Hometown favourites Japan will be seeking to cement their place in the play-offs and Samoa will be looking to rebound from their heavy defeat to Scotland in their second game to keep their quarter finals chances alive.

Here is how the two teams stack up for this crucial 3rd round match.

Both teams have made changes to their starting 15 squads following their last games. Samoa has made six changes to the team that was defeated by Scotland, in an effort to deploy a different playbook to get the necessary results. The players coming into the team include; Ulupano Suetini, Jordan Lay, Seilala Lam, Piula Faasalele, Dwayne Polataivao and Ah See Tuala.

The Japanese team has also made a single change to their squad with Kenki Fukuoka replacing Shota Horie, as they’ll want to keep their winning combinations together for as long as possible. Please see squads below as announced by the coaching staff of Japan and Samoa.

1. Keita Inagaki
2. Atsushi Sakate
3. Jiwon Koo
4. Wimpie van der Walt
5. James Moore
6. Michael Leitch (Fijian heritage born in Christchurch)
7. Pieter Labuschagne (capt.)
8. Kazuki Himeno
9. Yutaka Nagare
10. Yu Tamura
11. Lomano Lava Lemeki (Tongan heritage born in Auckland)
12. Ryoto Nakamura
13. Timothy Lafaele (Born in Tonga)
14. Kotaro Matsushima
15. Ryohei Yamanaka

16. Shota Horie
17. Isileli Nakajima (Born in Tonga)
18. Asaeli Ai Valu (Born in Tonga)
19. Uwe Helu (Born in Tonga)
20. Hendrik Tui (Samoan heritage born in Auckland)
21. Fumiaki Tanaka
22. Rikiya Matsuda
23. Kenki Fukuoka

1. Jordan Lay
2. Seilala Lam
3. Michael Alaalatoa
4. Piula Faasalele
5. Kane Le'aupepe
6. Chris Vui
7. TJ Ioane
8. Jack Lam (capt.)
9. Dwayne Polataivao
10. Ulupano Seuteni
11. Ed Fidow
12. Henry Taefu
13. Alapati Leiua
14. Ah See Tuala
15. Tim Nanai-Williams

16. Ray Niuia
17. Paul Alo-Emile
18. James Lay
19. Senio Toleafoa
20. Josh Tyrell
21. Pele Cowley
22. Tusi Pisi
23. Kieron Fonotia

Samoa has traditionally gotten the better of Japan in Test Matches. The two teams have met on 15 previous occasions, Samoa has won 11 of these matches compared to Japan winning only 4. However, based on more recent results, Japan have a slight advantage, having won the last two encounters between the teams in 2014 and at the 2015 World Cup respectively. The last time Samoa got the better of Japan in a test match was in 2012. The form and momentum is in Japan’s favour and Manu Samoa will need to bring their A-Game come Saturday to defeat a Japanese team that is going from strength to strength.

Samoa

Samoa’s 34-0 defeat against Scotland was the first time ever that the team has failed to score in a Rugby World Cup match. Also, only two members of the 2015 squad who lost to Japan will start against them on Saturday; TJ Ioane and Tim Nanai-Williams. Samoa will be hoping that this new squad will change their fortunes, which they desperately need. Manu Samoa fans can also look forward to a possible record-breaking moment when Tusi Pisi enters the game off the bench – he is currently on 57 world cup points and just needs 6 to overtake Silao Leaega and become the leading point scorer for Samoa in world cup history.

Interestingly Coach Jackson has chosen to start Ulupano Seuteni, or ‘UJ’ in the all-important number 10 jersey ahead of veteran Tusi Pisi, who played in Japan’s professional rugby competition from 2010 – 2016 before playing for Bristol up to 2019. He returns to Japan to play for Toyota Industries Shuttles following the Rugby World Cup. Despite the experience of Pisi and his total awareness of how the Japanese players work, Jackson has gone with UJ, an unknown quantity to the Japan team. A good ploy if he can pull it off. UJ is cool under pressure and likely to take over the reigns as the Manu’s preferred playmaker following the Rugby World Cup.

Meanwhile Seilala Lam (Lala) gets his first start in the hooking position. Lala is a good all-rounder who is hungry for more game time to show what he is capable of. He’s a really hard worker who will clock up the carries and put on the big intimidating shots.

Dwayne Polotaivao retuns to the side slotting back into the number 9 jersey. Polotaivao’s a firecracker and will test tiring forwards around the ruck area. The only thing that is predictable about this guy is that he is unpredictable and can break open a game at any time. Polotaivao came off the bench for Manu Samoa against the Wallabies in their last pre-world cup test and scored two great tries in succession.

Ah See Tuala finally gets his opportunity to don the blue jersey at his first Rugby World Cup. There has been a lot said about Tuala’s ability to cross the chalk but we’re yet to see it. This could be the game where he makes his mark.

Japan

Japan have the opportunity of winning 3 matches in a row in two consecutive World Cups, after winning 3 in the 2015 tournament and their first 2 at the current World Cup in Japan. If they manage to win on Saturday, they will almost certainly secure their place in the play-offs which will make the home fans super happy! 

Japan will be motivated to make this happen. Japan also joined South Africa (1995), Australia (2003) and New Zealand (2011) as the only host nations to ever win their first two matches. Japan will be aiming to make it 3 from 3 on Saturday!

Japan will be highly motivated, and they also have a winning momentum going for them in addition to huge support from their country. They will fight hard and Manu Samoa will have to produce the best they have to defeat them. This match is too close to call and has all the ingredients to be an epic encounter! The match begins at 19:30 local time at the City of Toyota Stadium.