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InternationalJapanTongaMichael Leitch

Jamie Joseph plays around with combinations as Michael Leitch reclaims the captain's armband

Jamie Joseph

Unlike the other teams in the Pacific Nations Cup, Jamie Joseph has resisted the urge to make mass changes to his side for the second round of the competition.

On Saturday, Japan will host Tonga in Osaka. Joseph has made just five changes to the starting XV that accounted for Fiji 34-21 last weekend.

Michael Leitch will make his first start for the year after sitting out all of Super Rugby with a chronic groin injury. He will take over at on the blindside flank whilst Yoshitaka Tokunaga will come into the team in place of last weekend’s captain, Pieter Labuschagne. As such, Leitch will also take back the captain’s armband.

Yutaka Nagare swaps into the starting side for Kaito Shigeno and Lomano Lemeki comes onto the left wing for the first try scorer of last week’s match, Kenki Fukuoka.

Historically, Tonga and Japan has been a fairly even contest, with Tonga winning 9 games to Japan’s 8 in head-to-heads. Last time the two sides clashed, in 2017, Japan ran out comfortable winners, 39-6.

The match kicks off at 7:10PM, JST.

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fl 7 minutes ago
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that only serves to enhance the reading experience

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RB 28 minutes ago
Mick Cleary: Five non-negotiables England need to display against Italy

Primary job of an 8 is to get over the gain line in attack and have rock solid stats in defence, specifically tackle count. Earl can certainly do both but is he the best at 8? Against top quality opposition he has a recent tendency to be underwhelming. Let’s wait and see with Pollock although less convinced his long term position is at 8.

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JD Kiwi 31 minutes ago
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No database for tells😂

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JD Kiwi 32 minutes ago
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Known as Muck Clearly by the Telegraph crew!

185 Go to comments
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JD Kiwi 34 minutes ago
How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

Has to be with such ridiculous errors!


Rather Christy than Bidwell! He jumped the shark even by his standards yesterday. Tried to say that when Auckland is weak NZ is weak. Pretty much everyone sees through him now and he's getting very little activity.

185 Go to comments
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DC000 35 minutes ago
Ireland downplay Sam Prendergast injury concern

Pendergrast shoukdn’t be in the squad - and never should have been selected for it in the first place.


Overrated and overhyped - banish him to D4 for a couple of years until he learns how to play the sport properly.


The dumb things the IRFU and Easterby do to keep the D4 thickos happy.

0 Go to comments
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RB 36 minutes ago
Mick Cleary: Five non-negotiables England need to display against Italy

Earl has stepped back this season compared to last, 6-7/10 this term when he was a solid 8/10 last year. England’s record with him starting is not great reading in terms of win percentage. He can play 8 but he will never be a Savea, Wiese, Alldritt or Doris. Sarries play him with a 7 on his back but tactically switch him to 8 on attacking scrums, makes sense, ergo England should not ‘double down’ at all. Were Jack Willis available, not sure he would justify being in the starting XV now.

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Wilson Ana 37 minutes ago
Don't get out over your skis on the Highlanders

Hello, I was unfortunately scammed online several hundreds of thousands of dollar. The money lost occurred on the Binance platform. Everything was reported to Australia Government Cyber security and the Qld Police. easyrecovery-assets@gmailcon have recovered approximately $100,000 for me

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JD 42 minutes ago
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I think winning somewhat masks England’s performances, but winning is key. Some argue France played poorly against them, while the argument could be made England made them play poorly.

Regardless, there are 3 teams going into this weekend with a chance of winning. The bonus point system works and keeps it exciting. England know, if they have any chance of winning, they have to play attacking rugby and go for it to build the score. Same for Scotland and Ireland, they have to both throw caution to the wind and play. Increases the hype and excitement for sure and, hopefully, the quality in the matches too.

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I see Savea, Sititi and Lakai as best 3 loosies and they could pretty much all interchange. However that's not a big trio, Simon Parker impresses as a big body with potential, Cullen Grace maybe but he needs regular time at 6 rather than being a part time lock.

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JD 50 minutes ago
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PR 50 minutes ago
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If France are the world’s best team, how did they lose to England? I do agree France’s ranking is too low. Clearly better than Ireland. Ranking should be:


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RB 57 minutes ago
Mick Cleary: Five non-negotiables England need to display against Italy

Nerve touched, clearly. Have you asked yourself the question, why does Steward get no game time or even a look in for England these days, more so with Furbank injured? That’s his former club HC making that call.

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RB 1 hour ago
Mick Cleary: Five non-negotiables England need to display against Italy

Giraffes are excellent at reaching the high fruits but they don’t run or turn too well in the open.


If you’re holding out for Steward playing FB for England then settle in for a long wait would be my advice, that’s even with Furbank side-lined. Kinghorn (or Keenan) he ain’t and he may be OK for Tigers (except against Toulouse) but for England, deeply exposed and deeply stepped. Even Daly, a part time 15 and the wrong side of 30, was preferred for the Italy game.


If I was Steward and wanting to play for England I would be figuring where I could get in the side and adapting.

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Rugby 101 - Ed Pye 1 hour ago
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If Aussie teams win the next 20 Super Rugby titles and don’t have half of their players from NZ, then we can revisit this.

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RB 1 hour ago
Mick Cleary: Five non-negotiables England need to display against Italy

2027 is the target year for England to have transitioned for the RWC. You highlight an systemic blight of the heart of the game in England, consistent failure to give youth its spurs in a meaningful sense. Sure it comes through in dribs and drabs but no wonder France is where they are now, they have brought through the U20s players en masse over the past 4-5 years. Bielle-Biarey, 21, France debut 2023, 18 caps and 17 tries. England did have similar with Arundell (untrusted at RWC 23 despite being top try scorer for England) and aware that Kpoku (like J Willis) is ineligible due to ridiculous, artificial rules.

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Thomas 1 hour ago
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Crowley has a bad day he gets punished prendergast has a bad day he gets praised he is like Mack Hansen he blows hot and cold

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Wilson Ana 1 hour ago
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Wilson Ana 1 hour ago
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I need an advice. I am currently processing a crypto recovery,with an agency called, easyrecovery-assets@gmailcom and we did some transaction validation. Out of 200k USD which was lost they where able to recover 90% of my lost, and I have only received only 60k USD and its been four days already since we started. I am a bit worried, i will like to know if they took the remaining of my money or if it is actually impossible to recover entirely everything i lost

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