The first Super Rugby match of seven on Saturday is in Japan where newcomers the Sunwolves host the 2014 champion Waratahs.
The Sunwolves have had a tough first season in Super Rugby but they have won one match and drawn one.
However those highlights were against the Jaguares (won) and the Stormers (draw) and not against Australian teams who have given them some of their biggest defeats.
The Sunwolves have played four matches against the Australian sides – Rebels, Force, Reds and Brumbies and the average score against these sides is Sunwolves 15 Australian sides 44.
The Waratahs are level on 34 points with the Brumbies. The Brumbies have won one more match than the Waratahs so they lead the Australian Conference.
The Waratahs have won five out of their last six matches while the Sunwolves have won one, drawn one from their last six.
The Waratahs have named recent signing Taqele Naiyaravoro in their starting line up while Matt Lucas has been named at halfback this week, in what will be just his second start for the Waratahs since his Super Rugby debut for NSW in 2013.
Determined flanker, Jack Dempsey and speedy winger, Reece Robinson are also back in the starting XV. Club Captain Dave Dennis will shift to the number eight position. The NSW Centurion is not a stranger to the jersey, having played there on a number of occasions across his decade-plus career.
Australian Vice-Captain, Rob Horne will run out for his 100th Super Rugby match for the NSW Waratahs this week after reaching the milestone for his home state in the team’s last Super Rugby match against the Chiefs last month.
The Sunwolves have named an understrength team with Harumichi Tatekawa as captain in place of Shota Horie. Top try scorer Akihito Yamada due to injury and fly-half Tusi Pisi.
Hitoshi Ono is also unavailable for selection due to suspension. In the forwards Taiyo Ando comes into the side replacing Andrew Duratalo and partners Ed Quirk and Liaki Moli.
Riaan Viljoen starts again full-back while Kaito Shigeno who scored a try for Japan against Scotland on the weekend starts at scrum-half ahead of Yuki Yatomi.
Given how close the Australian Super Rugby Conference is currently coupled with the New Zealand teams placings a loss this weekend would almost certainly end the Waratahs hopes of reaching the play off.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports 1.
Average score: N/A
No Past results
Match No.111:Sunwolves vs Waratahs
Date : Saturday 2 July 2016
Venue : Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Kick Off local: 14.15
Referee: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Assistant Ref 1:Aki Aso (Japan),
Assistant Ref 2:Noriaki Hashimoto (Japan)
TMO : Takashi Hareda (Japan)
Teams
Sunwolves
15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Mifiposeti Paea, 13 Derek Carpenter, 12 Harumichi Tatekawa (c), 11 Yasutaka Sasakura, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Kaito Shigeno, 8 Edward Quirk, 7 Taiyo Ando, 6 Liaki Moli, 5 Naohiro Kotaki, 4 Fa’atiga Lemalu, 3 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 2 Takeshi Kizu, 1 Masataka Mikami
Replacements: 16 Futoshi Mori, 17 Keita Inagaki, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Yoshiya Hosoda, 20 Shokei Kin, 21 Yuki Yatomi, 22 Ryohei Yamanaka, 23 Hajime Yamashita
Waratahs
1. Paddy Ryan , 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau , 3. Tom Robertson , 4. Dean Mumm, 5. Will Skelton , 6. Jack Dempsey, 7. Michael Hooper (C), 8. Dave Dennis (VC), 9. Matt Lucas , 10. Bernard Foley , 11. Taqele Naiyaravoro , 12. Rob Horne, 13. Israel Folau , 14. Reece Robinson, 15. Andrew Kellaway.
Replacements : 16. Hugh Roach , 17. Jeremy Tilse , 18. Angus Ta’avao , 19. Sam Lousi, 20. Wycliff Palu , 21. Ned Hanigan , 22. Nick Phipps , 23. David Horwitz , 24. Tolu Latu , 25. Matt Carraro
* two to be ommitted
