Coach Eddie Jones is likely to hand a first Test start to rookie hooker Kenji Sato when Japan take on the Springboks at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
The Brave Blossoms face the back-to-back world champions first up, in what Jones has described as the country’s “most ambitious tour” yet. They’ll also meet Ireland, Wales and Georgia.
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Japan departed Tokyo on Wednesday bound for London, with Jones urging his squad to embrace the challenge of facing the Boks on one of rugby’s grandest stages.
“We’ve done some forward planning,” said the former England and Wallabies coach on the Rugby Unity podcast. “The big thing is the attitude. We want to get out there and play. If we can train well on Thursday, it’ll put us in a good position.”
Saturday’s Test will be Japan’s first at Wembley and their first against the Springboks since 2019 – a chance, perhaps, to rekindle the spirit of that famous 2015 ‘Brighton Miracle’.
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The Bok showdown is both a test of depth and a chance to blood new talent. Jones has been forced to shuffle his front-row stocks after losing first-choice hooker Mamoru Harada and his deputy Hayate Era to injury, leaving 22-year-old Sato to step up for his first start.
The Saitama Wild Knights forward, who made his Test debut earlier this year, came off the bench in all four of Japan’s Pacific Nations Cup matches and featured again in their narrow defeat to the Wallabies in Tokyo.
Despite his limited experience, Sato has drawn high praise from Jones, who once labelled him the “next Shota Horie” – comparing him to the Japan and Saitama great who retired earlier this year.
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“We’ve lost both our first- and second-choice hookers, so this is a great opportunity for a young bloke,” Jones said. “He’s got a real feel for the game – aggressive, powerful, low to the ground – and he’ll be better for this experience.”
Japan are heading to Europe
Here’s the squad for our upcoming European tour
This weekend we head into our first clash against @Springboks since #RWC2019
Saturday 1 November
Wembley Stadium #BraveBlossoms pic.twitter.com/eCdDPv1h9L
— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) October 29, 2025
Photo: Koki Nagahama/Getty Images
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