Japan A to play Highlanders Bravehearts

THE Highlanders do not play the Sunwolves this year but a Japanese side will take on the franchise this season.

Japan A is under taking a short tour of New Zealand and will take on the Highlanders Bravehearts side on Saturday at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The Japan A team will arrive in Dunedin today and the match on Saturday night will be the first of three games against New Zealand teams. It will be the curtainraiser to the match between the Highlanders and Brumbies.

After playing the Bravehearts Japan A will take on the Blues development team at Eden Park on April 20, which is the curtainraiser to the match between the Highlanders and the Blues.

The Japan A team will finish its tour with a game against a Hurricanes development team in Levin on April 26.

The Japan A team will be made up of players who have turned out previously for Japan and also some members of the Sunwolves side who are not required for Super Rugby.

The Sunwolves are playing in Tokyo this week against the Blues and then have two games in New Zealand against the Crusaders and Hurricanes.

Junior Japan, a Universitybased side, played in the Pacific Nations Cup this year, finishing second, but the touring side will include mainly international players.

Veteran centre Harumichi Tatekewa, who has played for the Sunwolves and the Brumbies, will line up along with experienced secondrower Shinya Makabe.

The Highlanders Bravehearts side, which enjoyed two wins over its Crusaders counterpart last month, will be a mixture of Highlanders players, some Southland players and some club players from the Dunedin metropolitan competition.

That may cause some angst for club coaches, who will not want any key players to miss club games on Saturday.

There are some vital club games on Saturday. Dunedin hosts University for the Jonathan Keogh Memorial Trophy, while Southern journeys to Mosgiel to take on the unbeaten Taieri side for the Roy Nieper Trophy.