Japan XV vs Māori All Blacks Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 Preview

A Japan XV will take on the Māori All Blacks on Saturday, June 28, at Chichibunomiya in Tokyo which follows their three wins over the visiting New Zealand Universities and Hong Kong China teams this year.

The Japanese have won 1 and lost 4 against the Māori All Blacks side, and only one match has been played outside of Japan. However, it is the Japanese who won the last time the two sides met in 2024.

At the Brave Blossoms squad selection announcement in Tokyo on June 12th, it was suggested that the team selected would include players who had little playing time during the season and some members who were not included in the squad but participated in the Sugadaira training camp and JAPAN XV activities. There were changes in the training camp with at least half a dozen players called up over recent weeks.

The Japan XV, Japan U20, and Japan U23 sides have all played matches this year and serve as pathways to the national Men’s team. The Japan XV have already played three games in 2025, defeating the New Zealand University side 78-28 and 30-21, before beating a HKCR Representative team 64-12.

The Māori All Blacks is an uncapped fixture, but the Japan XV players will be looking to earn a call-up to the Brave Blossoms test match squad to face Wales if they impress.

Photo Credit: Māori All Blacks

The New Zealand Māori squad for the matches against Japan XV and Scotland confirmed that Kurt Eklund will captain the Māori All Blacks as a 29-player squad was named for 2025. The squad includes 11 new caps under Head Coach Ross Filipo, and assistant coaches are Greg Feek and Roger Randle.

Filipo said of Eklund, “This team demands a strong leader with mana, and Kurt has shown that quality and more over a long period of time, for the Māori All Blacks, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and the Blues. He has a lot of experience throughout the squad, and that will be a strength for what will be two tough matches.”

Japan vs Māori All Blacks Results

• 6 July 2024: 26-14 (W) Toyota City
• 29 June 2024: 36-10 (L) Tokyo
• November 8, 2014: (L) 18-20 Tokyo
• November 1, 2014: (L) 21-61 Hyogo
• June 28, 2008: (L) 65-22 Napier, NZ

Mo te Kākahu Māori All Blacks Jersey

New Zealand Rugby and Adidas also unveiled the newest Māori All Blacks jersey Te Tauihu Matua, designed by Ngāti Tūwharetoa artist Kahurangi Falaoa. The player jerseys are renewed every two years and will be worn for the first time by the Māori All Blacks against the Japan XV on 28th June in Tokyo.

Japan have also unveiled a new jersey, but it will be worn for the first time when the Brave Blossoms take on Wales in the first of their Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 test matches on Saturday, July 5.

Japan XV Squad vs Māori All Blacks 2025

The Japan XV acting Head Coach is Neal Hattley, and he has selected Kanji Shimokawa from Tokyo Sungoliath as captain for the team, who has been capped and appeared at the Rugby World Cup 2023 as an injury replacement. His club teammate Kenta Fukuda is the vice-captain.

21 of the 23 selected in the Japan XV squad play in Japan Rugby League One, with only Jingo  Takenoshita listed at Meiji University, and Shuhei Takeuchi formerly at Kyushu Kyoritsu University.

Uncapped university player Jingo Takenoshita is a third-year student at Meiji University, and he toured with the U23 squad to Australia earlier this year, in which he started all three matches at fullback. 

There are members from nine JRLO clubs with a wide spread, but Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath has the biggest contingent with four members.

Representatives from the JRLO clubs are from:

• Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath – 4
• Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo – 3
• Shizuoka Blue Revs – 3
• Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY – 2
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars – 2
• Kobelco Kobe Steelers – 2
• Toyota Verblitz – 2
• Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo – 2
• Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights -1

Shizuoka Blue Revs’ uncapped Shuntaro Kitamura, who was a late addition to the Japan XV Japan National Team Miyazaki Training Camp, and who was one of the surprise omissions from the original Brave Blossoms training squad, is on the bench. He was his club’s top try scorer and second overall in JRLO Division 1 and a key ingredient in seeing the Blue Revs reach a first semifinal with 15 tries in 19 appearances. 

His teammate, Brisbane-born fly-half Sam Greene, will be the starting fly-half vs the Māori All Blacks. He is also uncapped for Japan.

You can see more about the official JRFU squad announcement here.

Māori All Blacks Squad 2025 vs Japan XV

Crusaders flyhalf Rivez Reihana, who was man-of-the-match in the Super Rugby final, is in the side and toured Japan last year too. 20-year-old Blues midfielder Xavi Taele is one of the debutants and the youngest member of the squad.

Props: Benet Kumeroa (Te Atihaunui a Pāpārangi, Bay of Plenty, Chiefs), Jared Proffit (Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Chiefs), Pouri Rakete-Stones (Ngāpuhi, Hawke’s Bay, Hurricanes), Kershawl Sykes-Martin (Ngāti Porou, Tasman, Crusaders), Mason Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru, Waikato, Blues)

Hookers: Jacob Devery (Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Hawke’s Bay, Hurricanes), Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu, Bay of Plenty, Blues)

Locks: Zach Gallagher (Te Ātiawa, Canterbury, Hurricanes), Laghlan McWhannell (Ngāti Kahungunu, Waikato, Blues), Antonio Shalfoon (Whakatōhea, Tasman, Crusaders), Isaia Walker-Leawere (Ngāti Porou, Hawke’s Bay, Hurricanes)

Loose Forwards: Nikora Broughton (Ngārauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Bay of Plenty, Highlanders), Jahrome Brown (Ngāti Porou, Waikato, Chiefs), Caleb Delany (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Wellington, Hurricanes), Cullen Grace (Ngāti Whakaue, Canterbury, Crusaders), Te Kamaka Howden (Tūhoe, Manawatū, Highlanders)

Scrumhalves: Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Porou, Auckland), Sam Nock (Ngāpuhi, Northland, Blues)

Fly-Halves: Rivez Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Hine, Northland, Crusaders), Kaleb Trask (Ngāpuhi, Bay of Plenty, Chiefs)

Centres: Corey Evans (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu, Northland, Blues), Bailyn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu, Waikato, Hurricanes), Daniel Rona (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Chiefs), Xavi Taele (Ngāi Tahu, Auckland, Blues), Gideon Wrampling (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Waikato, Chiefs)

Outside Backs: Cole Forbes (Ngāti Awa, Bay of Plenty, Blues), Jonah Lowe (Ngāti Pikiao, Hawke’s Bay, Highlanders), Zarn Sullivan (Ngāti Kahungunu, Hawke’s Bay, Blues)

Injury Cover: Kade Banks (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua, North Harbour, Hurricanes)

How To Watch Japan XV vs Maori All Blacks Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025

The match is not due to be shown on RugbyPassTV but is available in Japan on Hulu and J SPORTS on demand, and live and free on NZR+ in selected international territories.

Japan Rugby News 2025

• Brave Blossoms Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 Squad and New Mantra.
• JAPAN XV 2025 Squad Announced for NZU, HKCR and Māori All Blacks Fixtures.
• Japan Sakura Fifteens and Brave Blossoms 2025 Domestic Fixtures Announced.
• Pacific Nations Cup 2025 Details Announced.