Brave Blossoms Training Camp Squad Announced As 2026 Nations Championship Preparations Ramp Up

The Brave Blossoms have announced their first training squad for the matches against the NZ Maori and the 2026 Nations Championship – the new international tournament featuring a cross-continental group of 12 teams- which gets underway when Japan opens their tournament against Italy on 4th July.

Photo Credit –  JRFU – Brave Blossoms vs Wallabies 2025

The Japan Men’s national team (35 players) and additional training squad (21 players) will participate in the national team training camp in Miyazaki City. The JRFU also confirmed their national team staff for the 2026 season (Eddie Jones as Head Coach is serving a suspension). Notable assistant coaches are Gary Gold and Owen Franks, as well as acting head coach for the upcoming matches, Neal Hatley.

Japan Head Coach Eddie Jones said at a press conference announcing the team, “Going into the Nations Championship, our aim is to be the team of the tournament, so that at the end of the tournament, the team that everybody wants to watch is Japan.

We’ve got two weeks to get ready for the game against Italy from when we assemble in Miyazaki. Italy are the most improved team in the world. Their work rate off the ball is higher than any other team, so to beat them, we’re going to have to beat them in that area. Our work off the ball will have to be exceptional. If we can play hard off the ball, we’ve got a good chance of beating them.”

Photo Credit- JRFU – Neal Hatley with the Japan XV Select

There are also several notable omissions due to injury, with several of those listed having played in the recent Japan Rugby League One final (we imagine some are being offered a rest period rather than being injured). But it was confirmed at the JRFU Press conference that several will be out for 4-6 weeks.

If that is the case, there are several big losses. For us, the absence of Lee Seung-shin is massive as he has been in good form and has made that 10 jersey his own in recent times – his kicking accuracy will be missed. Eddie Jones confirmed he is likely to need surgery so will be out for a while.

The absence of Maxi (Makisi) Faulua is also disapointing as he is such a powerful player in attack and defence and a good leader.

For the young Japan full-back Yoshitaka Yazaki, he has a knee injury and had been with the Brumbies since April. He had played for Canberra-based Tuggeranong Vikings in the ACTRU Premier Division. The uni player is only 22 years old and made his Brave Blossoms debut against England in 2024. He has 9 caps to date.

• Keita Inagaki (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights)
• Kenta Kobayashi (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
• Ruan Botha (Kubota Spears Funabashi/Tokyo Bay)
• Makoto Nakamori (University of Tsukuba)
• Tyler Paul (Kubota Spears Funabashi/Tokyo Bay)
• Kai Moriyama, Austin (Urayasu D-Rocks)
• Fakatava Amato (Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo)
• Maxi (Makisi) Faulua (Kubota Spears Funabashi/Tokyo Bay)
• Shinobu Fujiwara (Kubota Spears Funabashi/Tokyo Bay)
• Lee Seung-shin (Kobelco Kobe Steelers)
• Sho Okumura (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
• Charlie Lawrence (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars)
• Tomoki Nagata (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights)
• Yoshitaka Yazaki (Waseda University)

Photo Credit – JRFU

As many as ten potential new caps have been selected, but some of the players have been involved in previous training camps, including earlier this year. The group again includes at least three University players.

Ryunosuke Ito led his Meiji Uni to the 62nd All-Japan University Rugby Football Championship on January 11, 2026.

Three players from the JRLO champions Kobe Steelers are selected; 27-year-old Fijian winger Inoke Burua scored 15 tries this season,  22-year-old fullback Shunsuke Kaminobo scored 11 times in the winning campaign, as well as scrumhalf Itsuki Kamimura, who played every game this season.

Burua also featured among the top stats this JRLO season for: carries, meters gained, clean breaks, defenders beaten, and offloads!

• Sojiro Otsuka – Kwansei Gakuin Uni
• Izzy Sword – Kubota Spears Funabashi
• Michael Storberg – Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath
• Esei Haangana – Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights (has left the club after the season)
• Itsuki Kamimura – Kobelco Kobe Steelers
• Takuro Hojo – Mie Honda Heat
• Haruto Watanabe – Kidai Uni
• Ryunosuke Ito – Meiji Uni
• Inoke Brua – Kobelco Kobe Steelers
• Shunsuke Kaminobo – Kobelco Kobe Steelers

Brave Blossoms Training Camp Squad June 2026

Forwards

You can see more about the training squad via the JRFU here.

Michael Leitch has 92 caps and has been selected; his Brave Lupus Tokyo club had a poor season but still reached the quarterfinals in the JRLO and were unable to defend their title.

Hurricanes Warner Dearns is selected – his team are into the Super Rugby Pacific semifinals so his availability will depend on their season.

South African-born Ruan Botha (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay) and Australian-born Michael Storberg (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo), who had the second most lineouts in JRLO (99), are both uncapped and included.

Another Australian-born lock, who already has 2 caps, Harry Hockings, led the most lineout wins (109). He and Tiennan Costley also had some of the best stats for tackles completed this JRLO season.

Esei Haangana previously played with the Rebels in Super Rugby and is now looking for a new club, having announced his departure from the Wild Knights on June 6, 2026. He has become eligible for Japan this year, and Jones sees him as a lock who can cover flank.

The omission of Kubota Spears prop Opeti Helu is probably one of the most contentious ones. The powerful player has been selected in the JRLO XV team five times. Mamoru Harada played in the Moana Pasifika this season and was selected; they had a tough time on and off the field, but he will have learned from that.

Jones said: “Harada had a tough time in Super Rugby. He didn’t play much; he was in a team that struggled. Sometimes those difficult experiences are your best learning opportunities. He was already a tough player, but now I expect him to be even tougher and to appreciate the great opportunity he has to play in Japan.”

Backs

Naoto Saito will leave Toulouse in the Top 14 after this season, but they are still aiming to be in the finals. It is no surprise he has been selected, but his availability is to be determined. He has 28 caps for the Brave Blossoms, but there is a good crop of scrumhalves in the JRLO.

Eddie Jones said in the press conference that the four of Itsuki Kamimura (Kobe), Naoto Saito, Takuro Hojo (Mie Honda Heat), and Haruto Watanabe (Kidai Uni) are his top four half-backs currently. The latter was involved in the Japan U23 side.

Among the backs, Haruto Kida (Kubota Spears) ended the season with 13 tries as his side made the final of the JRLO.

Flyhalf is up for grabs in the absence of Lee Seung-shin. Eddie Jones has opted for Komura Shinya (Toyota Verblitz), who can cover both fullback and fly-half.

The other is promising but young Ito Ryunosuke (a 4th year university student), who led Meiji University. He played in six consecutive matches for the U23 and national team side.

Eddie Jones said, “I want them to become number 10s who want the ball. Speed ​​is important right now. When there is momentum, the number 10 needs to get the ball and make a strong attack against the (opponent’s defensive) line. And while attacking the line, we need a number 10 who can choose whether to use a close option or spread the play into wide space. I think that kind of play will lead to a style of play that is uniquely Japanese, and it will also lead to what is called ‘super-fast rugby’

Among the wings, both Yoshihei Ishida and Kazuma Ueda represented Japan in Rugby 7 at the Olympics.

UPDATE

Since the squad was announced, there have been changes within 24 hours. Toshiba’s Jone Naikabula will not take part, but Yokohama Canon Eagles full-back Kosho Muto and Sungoliath flanker Ryuga Hashimoto were added.

Japan Men’s XV Fixtures 2026

Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2026

• June 27th (Saturday) JAPAN XV vs Maori All Blacks – Paloma Mizuho Stadium (Aichi)
• August 8th (Saturday) Japan vs Australia – Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka City (Osaka)
• August 15th (Saturday) 2026 Australia vs Japan – Queensland Country Bank Stadium (Townsville, Australia)
• September 5th (Saturday))  Japan vs Canada – Denka Big Swan Stadium (Niigata City)

Nations Championship 2026 July

You can see more about the Championship here.

• July 4th (Saturday) Japan vs Italy – Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (Tokyo)
• July 11th (Saturday) Japan vs Ireland – McDonald Jones Stadium (Newcastle, Australia)
• July 18th (Saturday) Japan vs France – National Stadium (Tokyo)

Nations Championship 2026 November

• 6-8 November – Wales v Japan
• 13-15 November –  England v Japan
• 21 November – Scotland v Japan

Japan Rugby News 2o26

• Understanding The Nations Championship 2026.
• Brave Blossoms 2026 Home Tests and Venues Confirmed.
• Brave Blossoms 2026 Test against Ireland in Nations Championship to be held in Australia.
• Match Official Appointments For 2026 Nations Championship & Nations Cup.