Japan Brave Blossoms vs England Preview – November 2024 Lipovitan D Tour

rugbyasia247 Posted On November 23, 2024

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Japan Brave Blossoms vs England Preview – November 2024 Lipovitan D Tour

The Brave Blossoms end 2024 with another tough game against England at Allianz Stadium Twickenham on Sunday 24th November with the hosts trying to avoid a fourth defeat of the Autumn Nations Series and 6th in a row. Japan ended their own run of losses last weekend against Uruguay but were hardly convincing.

Feature Photo Credit: JRFU

This will be the sixth meeting between the two sides and there is an extra layer of intrigue with Japan’s Head Coach having previously coached England and he and England’s Head Coach Steve Borthwick have worked together previously. Borthwick replaced Eddie Jones before the 2023 Men’s Six Nations but he is also under pressure as he has only won 13 of his 27 tests as England’s head coach

They played each other in June 2024 when England convincingly beat Japan 52-17 at the Japan National Stadium, in Tokyo. It’s only the most optimistic Japan fan that will think they can claim a first victory over England which would also be the first time since the early 1970s when England last lost four in a row at home.

Against the top ten teams, Japan has struggled in 2024 as Eddie J0nes has rung the changes – with losses against France, NZ, Georgia, Fiji in addition to England.

Jones has again made some odd selections for the match. McCurran starts at flyhalf when Rookie of The Year Mikiya Takamoto is not in the matchday squad. In the buildup, Jones did also not fulfil his media responsibilities as he was ill.

The win over Uruguay in France last week also saw more ill-discipline for the Brave Blossoms with scrumhalf Saito receiving a yellow card and second-row Warner Dearns receiving a red card for a high tackle. Dearns won’t be available this weekend as he has subsequently received a four-match suspension.

England has recalled Tom Curry, who will partner Sam Underhill for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and they will keep the Japanese back row and rucks busy. George Furbank is also recalled as full-back replacing Freddie Steward who was exposed in defence against South Africa.

Borthwick said, “Japan want to play fast, we want to play fast. We want to do some different things in the way we attack, hence the selection at full-back.”

20-year-old Asher Opoku-Fordjour is on the bench for England and could earn his debut.

Craig Evans (Wales) will take charge of England v Japan for the first time.

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Match Permutations – Japan Brave Blossoms vs England (November 2024)

England cannot improve their rating against Japan this weekend even if they win.
They could even end a five-match losing run and still fall a place to eighth – equalling their lowest-ever position – if the match at Murrayfield between Scotland and Australia ends in a draw.
England sink as low as 10th if they lose at home to Japan, Italy win and Fiji and Australia avoid defeat.