Japan Select Team vs Hong Kong China Select 2026 Match 1 Preview

The first of two matches between the Japan Select Team and Hong Kong China Select XV takes place on Friday, 21st May at Oita Sports Park Krasas Soccer & Rugby Field.

Both sides confirmed their squads for the opening game as HKCR and Japan prepare for a busy international season in 2026 and the Rugby World Cup in 2027.

HKCR’s 23-man squad for the first game sees new faces and HKCR head coach Logan Asplin said, “These guys in Japan Select have just now come off an 18-game top league season, in which these players would have played the vast majority of games and minutes in that, while some of our players haven’t played a premium game since March – so they are two very different prepared squads coming in.”

The management team is preparing for matches on three different continents in the coming 8 weeks and had to make a decision to send an inexperienced team to compete in the AREMC, which gets underway on Sunday in Sri Lanka.

Among the squad to face the Japan Select XV, which comprises players who have competed in the JRLO but are not in the playoffs, are emerging talent in the form of scrumhalf Isaac Campbell-Wu, Matteo Avitabile and Max Threlkeld. In total, there are nine changes to the starting XV which lost the last time they played and lost to Portugal at the end of 2025.

Photo Credit HKCR

Experienced captain Josh Hrstich is among the reserves, and vice captain Tom Hill does not feature in this game. Flanker Pierce Mackinlay-West assumes the captaincy.

Asplin explained; “It is an interesting one because obviously we have played them twice now. They are a very good outfit, so what we need to see is a growth in our performance. They have a pretty strong line-up playing against us, with a number of capped players already, so it will be a tough encounter, and we know that. But this is a chance for us to push through.”

What is really valuable is playing the same opposition twice. We have to work out who can handle the pace at which they play at, and that’s a good litmus test. This is actually an identical test between the two games, so we can work on our combinations and define our starting and big bench roles.

“It also prepares us for the Nations Cup when we play three games on the bounce, plus one before, we can learn how to live between those demanding weeks and go game to game, which we can’t do at home,” added Asplin.

For the Japanese, the Head Coach is Neal Hatley, following the suspension of Eddie Jones and has selected 9 University Students in the 23-man squad to face HKCR.

Hatley said via the JRFU: “The goal of the Japan XV program is to win our games while also developing players who can go on to represent Japan. Last year we had five players who went on to earn full test caps, so we want to see that again. This year, we’ve had several university players who’ve come through the Japan Talent Squad stepping up in camp and putting their hands up for selection.

We’re looking at how we can improve our training, how we can keep improving the squad by giving opportunity to young players and of course we want to win our games. Hong Kong China will be going to the next World Cup which is a big motivation for our guys. They will be playing against a team that will face the All Blacks and Wallabies next year. It’s a great opportunity for us and it’s really important for strengthening rugby in Asia”.

The JRFU added that, “The series follows the signing of a 2025 MOU between the JRFU and Hong Kong China Rugby and reflects the continued strengthening of ties between two of Asia’s leading rugby unions. The collaboration provides an important platform for player development and supports the ongoing growth of rugby throughout the region.”

Of the JRLO players, 7 from the Shizuoka Blue Revs have been selected, including Sam Green and Shuntaro Kitamura, who both have Brave Blossoms caps. Kitamura scored 8 tries this season.

The second match takes place on Friday, 29 May in Fukuoka.

Photo Credit- JRFU – Acting Head Coach Neal Hatley

HKCR XV Select Squad vs Japan Select (21st May 2026)

1. Sunia FAMEITAU; 2. Harry BARON, 3. Keelan CHAPMAN, 4. Lachlan DOHENY, 5. Kyle SULLIVAN; 6. Tyler McNUTT; 7. Pierce MACKINLAY WEST (Captain); 8. Jack BARTLETT, 9. Eric CHUI Wai Lap 10. Joe BARKER, 11. Harry SAYERS, 12. Isaac CAMPBELL-WU, 13. Marcus RAMAGE, 14. Guy SPANTON, 15. Matt WORLEY, 16. Jude HARDING, 17. Rory CINNAMON, 18. Calum MCFEAT-SMITH, 19. James RIVERS, 20. Josh HRSTICH 21. Brendon NELL, 22. Matteo AVITABILE; 23. Max THRELKELD.

Japan Select vs HKCR Select XV (21st May 2026)

More about the squad can be seen on the JRFU website.

1 Sojiro OTSUKA 2. Shun ARAKAWA 3. Takumi INABA  4. Ryusei KOIKE 5. Isaiah MAPUSUA 6.  Aseri MASIVOU  7. Masato FURUKAWA 8. Rikuto NAKAYA (captain) 9. Haruto WATANABE 10. Ryunosuke ITO 11. Kohaku EBISAWA 12. Chisu LEE 13. Soma OKAZAKI 14. Futo YAMAGUCHI 15. Sam GREENE 16. Koki HIDA 17. Kenta YAMASHITA 18. Taufa LATU 19. Kota YAMAUCHI 20. Malgene ILAUA 21. Shuntaro KITAMURA 22. Futo SATO 23.  Rakuhei YAMASHITA

How To Watch The Game

The match is only available on the Japanese paywall streaming platform J SPORTS On Demand.

Asian Rugby News 2026

• Asia Rugby Emirates Men’s Championships (AREMC 2026) Tournament Preview.
• Hong Kong China Men’s XV Head To South America for July World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 Fixtures.
• JAPAN XV 2026 Squad Announced.
• Hong Kong China Rugby Men’s XV Squads Confirmed for AREMC 2026 Opener & Japan Select XV Tour.