Rugby Union - Rugby World Cup 2023 - Pool D - Japan v Argentina - Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France - October 8, 2023 Japan's Jack Cornelsen reacts REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
CARDIFF (Reuters) -Japan coach Eddie Jones has made two changes to his starting line-up for Saturday's test against Wales in Cardiff despite his side playing for a fourth successive weekend.
Jack Cornelsen replaces Ben Gunter on the flank while Keijiro Tamefusa comes in for Shuhei Takeuchi in the front row from the team that started last Saturday's 41-10 defeat by Ireland.
Gunter is unavailable because of personal reasons while Takeuchi drops to the bench.
Veteran loose forward Michael Leitch and back Tiernan Costley are both out with injury, officials added.
Japan lost at home to Australia last month before embarking on their European tour, where they have lost to South Africa in London and to Ireland over the last fortnight.
They have a last test on tour in Georgia on November 22.
Team: 15-Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14-Kippei Ishida, 13-Dylan Riley, 12-Charlie Lawrence, 11-Tomoki Osada, 10-Lee Seung-sin, 9-Naoto Saito, 8-Faulua Makisi, 7-Kanji Shimokawa, 6-Jack Cornelsen, 5-Warner Dearns (captain), 4-Epineri Uluiviti, 3-Keijiro Tamefusa, 2-Kenji Sato, 1-Kenta Kobayashi
Replacements: 16-Shodai Hirao, 17-Sho Furuhata, 18-Shuhei Takeuchi, 19-Harry Hockings, 20-Tyler Paul, 21-Kenta Fukuda, 22-Shinya Komura, 23-Kazuma Ueda.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
