The Japanese Rugby League has announced the Japanese Samurai squad for the second East Asia Nations Cup match to be played at the Sogo Ground of Inagi Chuo Park in Inagi City, Tokyo in June.
After winning the inaugural East Asia Cup in Kowloon, the Samurais will be keen to defend their title against an ever improving Hong Kong Thunder outfit.
The squad features players from each of the five Japanese Rugby League clubs of Tokyo 13 Warriors (7 Players), West Mix Kansai (2 Players), South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs (2 Players), Kansai Kaminari (1 Player) and Shinkuku Giants (1 Player) plus three players currently participating in competitions in Australia.
Japanese Samurai Squad:
Lachlan Grieve (Kansai Kaminari) – Captaion
Dai Fujitaka (West Mix Kansai)
Yoshihisa Ogata (West Mix Kansai)
Yuta Oba (South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs)
Junpei Maruno (South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs)
Kenta Karino (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Tomohiro Setoguchi (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
John Akiba (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Nikola Pavesic (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Gorka Gerediaga Etxaburu (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Hiroshi Fukaswa (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Akihito Kashiwaba (Tokyo 13 Warriors)
Taou Sugano (Shinjuku Giants)
Yuki Mochizuki (Sydney University)
Itaru Matsuo (West Mitchelton)
Kenshin Tsutsui (Maryborough Brothers)
* One player to be added
Coach: Amane Konishi
