Arizona Tribune - Japan to give flanker Haangana his debut against France

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Japan to give flanker Haangana his debut against France / Photo: Saeed Khan - AFP

Japan to give flanker Haangana his debut against France

SPORTS 16.07.2026

Japan on Thursday named flanker Esei Haangana to make his debut against France in the Nations Championship in Tokyo, with another two uncapped players on the bench.

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Japan are looking for their first win over the French on Saturday and are coming off a respectable 36-20 defeat to Irealand, after opening their campaign with a home win over Italy.

Coach Eddie Jones made six changes to the team that started against Ireland in Newcastle, Australia, including a completely different front row.

Haangana comes in to win his first cap at the age of 27, while fellow debutants Izi Sword and Shunsuke Uenobo take their places on the bench.

Samisoni Tua replaces the injured Yuya Hirose at inside centre, while wing Kippei Ishida returns at the expense of Taira Main.

Sojiro Otsuka, Hayate Era and Keijiro Tamefusa form the revamped front row.

University student fly-half Ryunosuke Ito keeps his place and will win his third cap alongside scrum-half Naoto Saito.

Japan (15-1):

Takuro Matsunaga; Kazuma Ueda, Dylan Riley, Samisoni Tua, Kippei Ishida; Ryunosuke Ito, Naoto Saito; Jack Cornelsen, Ben Gunter, Esei Haangana; Warner Dearns (capt), Harry Hockings; Keijiro Tamefusa, Hayate Era, Sojiro Otsuka

Replacements: Kenji Sato, Takato Okabe, Izi Sword, Michael Stolberg, Michael Leitch, Tiennan Costley, Taira Main, Shunsuke Uenobo

R.Lee--AT

Arizona Tribune - Japan to give flanker Haangana his debut against France

Japan to give flanker Haangana his debut against France

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