Flanker Lappies Labuschagné will lead his side out on Saturday as he wears the captain’s armband in the absence of Michael Leitch.

24-year-old Ben Gunter is set to make his debut for the national side at blindside flanker, with number 8 Kazuki Himeno in between the pair.

Keita Inagaki and Ji-Won Gu start at prop with hooker Atsushi Sakate completing the front row for the Brave Blossoms.

The second row is occupied by Jack Cornelsen and James Moore.

Yutaka Nagare and Yu Tamura make for an exciting half-back partnership, with Ryoto Nakumara and Timothy Lafaele only adding to that in the midfield.

The back three consists of Siosaia Fifita, Kotaro Matsushima and Dylan Riley, who lines up for his second cap for Jamie Joseph’s team.

Replacements for Japan includes the likes of Asaeli Ai Valu and Naoto Saito.

Eight members of the squad line out for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan’s Top League, while 11 sides are represented in the matchday 23.

10 of those 11 sides will have players starting the game, including Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne, who employ Matsushima.

Japan team v Ireland 

1. Keita Inagaki (Panasonic Wild Knights)
2. Atsushi Sakate (Panasonic Wild Knights)
3. Ji-won Gu (Honda Heat)
4. Jack Cornelsen (Panasonic Wild Knights)
5. James Moore (Munakata Sanix Blues)
6. Ben Gunter (Panasonic Wild Knights)
7. Lappies Labuschagné (C) (Kubota Spears)
8. Kazuki Himeno (Highlanders)
9. Yutoka Nagare (Suntory Sungoliath)
10. Yu Tamura (Yokohama Canon Eagles)
11. Siosaia Fifita (Hanazono Kinetsu Liners)
12. Ryoto Nakamura (Suntory Sungoliath)
13. Timothy Lafaele (Kobelco Steelers)
14. Dylan Riley (Panasonic Wild Knights)
15. Kotaro Matsushima (Clermont Auvergne)

Replacements

16. Yusuke Niwai (Yokohama Canon Eagles)

17. Craig Millar (Panasonic Wild Knights)

18. Asaeli Ai Valu (Panasonic Wild Knights)

19. Yoshitaka Tokunaga (Toshiba Brave Lupus)

20. Tevita Tatafu (Suntory Sungoliath)

21. Naoto Saito (Suntory Sungoliath)

22. Rikiya Matsuda (Panasonic Wild Knights)

23. Ryohei Yamanaka (Kobelco Steelers)

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The national side will host Japan and the USA on the third and tenth of July respectively.

The Japan game will kick off at 1:00 pm while the USA match will begin at 7:15 pm.

Furthermore, both fixtures are part of the government’s outdoor pilot sport event programme.

To clarify, the games will see limited fans return to the Aviva Stadium.

The squad is inexperienced with only six players above 30 caps.

#TeamOfUs

Here's your Ireland squad for the #VodafoneSummerSeries #ShoulderToShoulder

More: https://t.co/LToRkkpbkF pic.twitter.com/TIrJsMCC31

— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 14, 2021

Peter O’Mahony is the most experienced player available with 75 caps to his name.

However, Johnny Sexton, Cian Healy and Keith Earls have been left out of the Summer Series squad to allow other players to gain more experience, according to Andy Farrell.

Furthermore, 11 uncapped players have been drafted into the squad for the two matches.

Connacht captain Paul Boyle and Munster’s Gavin Coombes are among those expected to earn their first cap this summer.

Those selected for the British and Irish Lions are unavailable for selection.

However, Ronan Kelleher is training with the British and Irish Lions squad this week but has been selected in Andy Farrell’s squad. (INSERT INTERNAL LINK)

Both games will be broadcast live by RTÉ (Republic of Ireland) and Channel 4 (Northern Ireland).

Ireland 2021 Vodafone Summer Series Squad

Backs (17)

Will Addison (Ulster/Enniskillen) 4 caps
Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) uncapped
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) uncapped
Billy Burns (Ulster) 6 caps
Harry Byrne (Leinster/Lansdowne) uncapped
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 22 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 1 cap
Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 24 caps
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution) 1 cap
Tom Daly (Connacht/Lansdowne) uncapped
Chris Farrell (Munster/Young Munster) 14 caps
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 9 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 11 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 29 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 4 caps
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 34 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 34 caps

Forwards (20)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 3 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 14 caps
Paul Boyle (Connacht/Lansdowne) uncapped
Ed Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 4 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped
Ultan Dillane (Connacht/Corinthians) 18 caps
Peter Dooley (Leinster/Lansdowne) uncapped
Caelan Doris (Leinster/UCD) 7 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 5 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 21 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 11 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 43 caps
Ross Molony (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 75 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) uncapped
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 35 caps
John Ryan (Munster/Cork Constitution) 23 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) uncapped
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 31 caps
Fineen Wycherley (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped

You can view the full announcement here.

The post 2021 Rugby Fixtures – Irish rugby squad for Japan and USA games appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.