TOWNSVILLE, Australia — A radically reorganized Japan team will face Australia A in the third round of the Pacific Nations Cup on Saturday.
Full back Go Aruga practices with the Brave Blossoms after arriving from Japan to replace the injured
Goshi Tachikawa.
ZILIA PAPP PHOTO Sixty-five years after Japanese and Australian armed forces met off the shores of Townsville in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Australia's national tier two rugby union team will face the Brave Blossoms at the Dairy Farmers Rugby Stadium.
The reshuffled Blossoms squad — with nine new starting members in the Cup — indicates a team which may sacrifice a tactical loss this time around for a strategic win within the course of the Pacific Nations Cup, with a chance to gain momentum before Japan faces Samoa the following week in Sendai.
The game also is a rare chance for young talent to shine before the final selections for the World Cup.
One of the chosen few is Takamichi Sasaki, a No. 8 regular at club team Suntory Sungoliath, who will start as open-side flanker as well as captain of the team, replacing injured veteran skipper Takuro Miuchi.
Sasaki is one of the youngest captains to represent Japan to date at the age of 23.
"I want to lead the team in my own style based on my experience at university and club levels. I will concentrate on our game management. I look forward to perform my duties as a leader at national level," said a confident Sasaki.
The young player first earned respect as Waseda University captain, leading the team to victory against Top League club Toyota Verblitz in the All Japan Championships in 2006.
"Sasaki is a leader of the future," said head coach John Kirwan. "We hope to develop his leadership skills for the next generation, but this time we expect him to give us what he has already shown, with no extra pressure."
Another player with a chance to impress is Sasaki's Suntory teammate Go Aruga. The full back flew in from Japan for the game after Goshi Tachikawa was hospitalized with a fractured ligament after last week's game against Tonga.
The 23-year-old Aruga's father, Ken Aruga, earned 15 caps as a winger for the national team between 1974 and 1978.
A promising young player, Go Aruga has already earned four caps in the 2006 Asian World Cup Qualifiers and 2007 Asia Tri-Nations tournament.
"I'm in great form," said Aruga, who joined practice right after landing. "First I had mixed feelings, as I was already focusing on my club team, but I am ready to represent Japan with all I've got."
The choice of game venue shows great strategic planning on the side of the Australian Rugby Union from the standpoint of sports diplomacy.
Townsville hosted three of Japan's games in the 2003 World Cup, and the players received tremendous support from local citizens at the time. Miuchi earned honorary citizenship from Townsville's mayor.
"It is quite nostalgic to be back," said Miuchi, team captain during the 2003 tournament. "The locals rooted for us in all our games. We are facing Australia now, so I cannot expect them to do the same this time."