PNC Preview – USA vs Japan

The 2019 Pacific Nations Cup will be decided at the neutral ground of ANZ National Stadium in Suva, Fiji, on Saturday (Friday evening North American time). While designed in a hybrid round-robin-slash-pool format, results from the first two rounds of the competition see both the USA and Japan enter undefeated with the winner guaranteed first overall.

Despite the riches on offer, neither team has opted to field a truly full strength lineup. Some selections are geared towards testing combinations while for others this may be their last opportunity to impress in a game situation ahead of the World Cup.

Gary Gold’s USA side certainly reflects that with five changes coming in the pack. Mike Sosene-Feagai wins his first cap since March 2016 as the starting hooker, while Nate Brakeley replaces Ben Landry at lock. An all-new back row features Malon Al-Jiboori, Hanco Germishuys, and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz. It’s the first appearance for Germishuys in the tournament and a first test start for Fa’anana-Schultz, who turned heads when he arrived in Houston mid-way through the Major League Rugby season.

Shaun Davies is recalled to partner AJ MacGinty in the halfbacks, while Marcel Brache has recovered from a head knock suffered against Canada to take up a spot at outside center. Madison Hughes starts for the first time in two years and this time at wing rather than his usual fullback spot.

There are more familiar names on the bench with Ben Pinkelman again hoping to make an impression as a loose forward sub. Nate Augspurger could get some time at scrumhalf after coming on as a winger against Samoa, and powerful midfielder Thretton Palamo is set to make his first test appearance since November 2016.

Jamie Joseph has returned to coach the Brave Blossoms following the death of his mother and will run the rule over a new second row combination in James Moore and Uwe Helu. Lappies Labuschagne returns from a slight knee complaint to partner Michael Leitch on the flank, and Hendrik Tui makes his first PNC appearance at No8.

Also returning after missing the first two games is scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka, a veteran of two World Cup campaigns, who now faces pressure from Yutaka Nagare and Kaito Shigeno for the starting role. Will Tupou moves up from fullback to outside center as Ryohei Yamanaka is given a start at the back. Poster-boy Kenki Fukuoka is recalled on the left wing having lit up social media with his electric performances in the first two matches.

Koki Yamamoto is fit to cover loosehead prop from the bench, where Wimpie van der Walt and Kazuki Himeno have settled. Nagare is the halfback reserve with the versatile Rikiya Matsuda named alongside Lomano Lemeki as back reserves.

These two sides haven’t collided since RWC 2015, when the Brave Blossoms took a 10-point win at Gloucester. In fact the Eagles have only been successful once in their last seven encounters, a 5-point win at Sacramento earlier in 2015. On paper this is a strong Japan side and with two dominant wins at their backs they will enter as favorites to take the PNC crown.

Kickoff is set for Saturday 4:35pm local time, Friday 9:35pm Pacific, Saturday 12:35am Eastern. Live broadcasts will be available on NBC Sports Gold in the USA and World Rugby’s digital media channels for those located elsewhere.

USA
1 Chance Wenglewski, 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Nate Brakeley, 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Malon Al-Jiboori, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, 9 Shaun Davies, 10 AJ MacGinty, 11 Madison Hughes, 12 Paul Lasike, 13 Marcel Brache, 14 Blaine Scully (capt.), 15 Will Hooley

Replacements: 16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 David Ainu’u, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Ben Landry, 20 Ben Pinkelman, 21 Nate Augspurger, 22 Will Magie, 23 Thretton Palamo

JAPAN
1 Keita Inagaki, 2 Shota Horie, 3 Asaeli Valu, 4 James Moore, 5 Uwe Helu, 6 Michael Leitch (capt.), 7 Lappies Labuschagne, 8 Hendrik Tui, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 10 Yu Tamura, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 12 Timothy Lafaele, 13 Will Tupou, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 15 Ryohei Yamanaka

Replacements: 16 Atsushi Sakate, 17 Koki Yamamoto, 18 Yusuke Kizu, 19 Wimpie van der Walt, 20 Kazuki Himeno, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Rikiya Matsuda, 23 Lomano Lemeki

Date: Saturday, August 10
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Suva
Kickoff: 16:35 local (Friday 21:35 Pacific, 00:35 Eastern)
Referee: Glen Jackson (NZRU)
Assistants: Ben O’Keeffe (NZRU) & Tevita Rokovereni (FRU)
TMO: n/a
Broadcasts: NBC Sports Gold (USA), World Rugby