Shizuoka (Japan) (AFP)
Japan coach Jamie Joseph has decided to put his usual captain Michael Leitch on the substitutes' bench and promote Pieter Labuschagne to face Ireland in the second match of the World Cup on Saturday in Shizuoka.
Born in South Africa, Labuschagne, 30, is the third foreign-born player promoted captain of the Brave Blossoms.
In addition to Michael Leitch, replaced by Mafi, Jamie Joseph made three more changes to the winning team of Russia (30-10) in the opening match: Jiwon Koo will start at the post of right-back and Ryohei Yamanaka at 'back.
Finally, Luke Thompson, 38, the oldest player in the World Cup, will start on the second row.
A win against Ireland would allow Japan to take a very serious option on qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Line-up:
Yamanaka - Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Tupou - (o) Tamura, (m) Nagare - Labuschagne (cap.), Mafi, Himeno - Moore, Thompson - Koo, Horie, Inagaki
Replacements: Sakate, Nakajima, Ai Valu, van der Walt, Leitch, Tanaka, Matsuda, Lemeki
© 2019 AFP