A South African utility forward is set to make his Test debut off the bench for Japan against the Wallabies in Tokyo on Saturday.
Tyler Paul, who can play both lock and loose forward, has been included among the replacements for Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms as they prepare to face Australia for the first time since Jones stepped down as Wallabies coach after their 2023 World Cup disaster.
The 30-year-old played for Eastern Province and the Sharks, before heading to Japan in 2021. He has since represented the NTT Red Hurricanes, Urayasu D-Rocks and Kubota Spears, and qualifies for Japan on residency grounds.
Paul’s selection comes as part of a Japan team featuring six changes to the starting lineup that lost to Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup final.
Jones has recalled Michael Leitch at No 8, Ben Gunter at blindside flank and shifted Kanji Shimokawa to openside.
In the backline, Yoshitaka Yazaki returns at fullback, Kippei Ishida comes in on the right wing and Tomoki Osada moves across to the left.
Jones has opted for a 5-3 split on the bench.
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Japan have never beaten the Wallabies in six previous Tests, but Jones is relishing the challenge.
“I enjoy beating Australia,” he said. “I coached against them 10 times for England and beat them nine times.”
Saturday’s Test at Japan’s National Stadium kicks off at 7:50am (SA time).
JAPAN – 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Lee Seung-sin, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Michael Leitch (c), 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Kenta Kobayashi.
Bench: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Tiennan Costley, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Charlie Lawrence, 23 Sam Greene.
Photo: Kenta Harada/Getty Images
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