Japan Brave Blossoms vs Wales Nations Championship 2026 Preview

The World Rugby Nations Championship 2026 returns this weekend, and Japan’s Brave Blossoms play Wales on Saturday 7 November at Principality Stadium, Cardiff.

Photo Credit – JRFU (Japan vs Wales 2025)

Wales are the higher-ranked team in 10th, and Japan are 12th after their loss to Fiji at home – the Brave Blossoms will be seeking just a third ever win over the Welsh, and the past four encounters have all been very close.

The biggest area of concern for Japan will be flyhalf, as they are without their first three choice players in that role – two due to injury (Sam Greene & Seung-sin Lee) and Ryunosuke Ito, who has started all of the Brave Blossoms Tests in 2026, is back at University and will miss the entire tour.

Eddie Jones has opted to start with Honda Heat’s uncapped fly-half Riku Kitahara, and on the bench is his only other option on tour, Toyota’s Shinya Komura, who won the last of his three caps as a replacement against Georgia in November 2025.

Wales Head coach Steve Tandy said, “There’s lots of competition for position within the squad, which is where we want to be. We’re excited to be back at home. We want to go out there on Saturday, put our mark on the match and start the next phase in our Nations Championship campaign strongly.”

He has selected Archie Griffin at tighthead prop and Dafydd Jenkins in the second row, with both players making their first appearances in the Nations Championship 2026.  Completing the front row are Nicky Smith at loosehead (his first start of the championship) and captain Dewi Lake at hooker.

That inexperience in the front row could be targeted by the Japanese, but they themselves have been up and down in the Tests this year.

Photo Credit – JRFU – Japan Brave Blossoms vs Wales 2025

Another area in which the Japanese have been inconsistent against higher-ranked teams is in the loose forwards. The loose trio selected of Ben Gunter, Koji Shimokawa, and Jack Cornelsen are all experienced campaigners, and the Welsh have the dangerous Jac Morgan at openside flanker and Aaron Wainwright at No. 8, while Alex Mann is named at blindside.

Another stat to be wary of for Eddie Jones’ side is that 14 of Wales’ 20 tries in 2026 have been scored by forwards, with prop Rhys Carré scoring five.

An intriguing battle will be in the centres. Whereas Japan’s Dylan Riley is the key man and the most capped Brave Blossoms player in the matchday squad, and even if he has not performed at his best this season, they are a better team with him starting. Wales have opted for size and selected one of their biggest ever centre combinations, with Eddie James and Max Llewellyn starting for the first time together.

Sam Costelow is at fly-half and Tomos Williams at scrum-half – they know they will face a new pairing no matter who Japan selected in the absence of first-choice fly-halves. Out wide, the attacking threats of Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams will look to take on their opposing wings and win the aerial game too. Inoke Burua brings the power game for Japan on the left wing (he scores plenty in the JRLO too), while the agile and quick Kippe Ishida is on the right wing.

Among the reserves, Japan have France-based Opeti Helu, who has yet to play this year for the Brave Blossoms, and could earn his 3rd cap (by far the biggest front rower they have), as well as University player Jisu Lee, who made his debut in the loss to Fiji in October.

You can see more about the Nations Championship results and fixtures here.

Match Permutations

• Japan will return to the top 10 if they win unless Italy upset world champions, South Africa.
• Wales will move up one place to ninth if they win by more than 15 points and Fiji lose to France.
• Japan will remain in 12th if they lose.

Brave Blossoms Men’s XV Squad vs Wales

More on the Brave Blossoms matchday squad is available here.

Wales Squad vs Japan Brave Blossoms

Starting XV

15. Blair Murray (Scarlets – 19 caps)
14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears – 43 caps)
13. Eddie James (Scarlets – 11 caps)
12. Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby – 13 caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 72 caps)
10. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 22 caps)
9. Tomos Williams (Saracens – 75 caps)
1. Nicky Smith (Sale Sharks – 66 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Captain, Gloucester Rugby – 34 caps)
3. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – 16 caps)
4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 31 caps)
5. Ben Carter (Dragons – 21 caps)
6. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 18 caps)
7. Jac Morgan (Gloucester Rugby – 27 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Leicester Tigers – 70 caps)

Replacements

16. Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 51 caps)
17. Rhys Carré (Saracens – 31 caps)
18. Tomas Francis (Sale Sharks – 82 caps)
19. Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 10 caps)
20. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby – 24 caps)
21. Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys – 3 caps)
22. Dan Edwards (Ospreys – 13 caps)
23. Louie Hennessey (Bath Rugby – 1 cap)

Match Officials

• Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
• Assistant Referee 2: Angus Mabey (NZR)
• TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
• FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

How To Watch the Brave Blossoms vs Wales Nations Championship Test

The match will be available on RugbypassTV in some regions.

Japan Rugby News 2026

• Fiji Spoil Japan’s Centennial Celebrations With Deserved Win Over Brave Blossoms.
• JRFU 100th Anniversary Match – Japan Brave Blossoms vs Fiji Preview.
• Japan Brave Blossoms Win Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026.
• Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026 Final Preview – Japan vs Fiji.