The Japanese Rugby League has named it’s core squad for the upcoming Emerging Nations World Championship in Sydney later this year.
The 18-man squad will be joined by additional players closer to the tournament kick off in October, but will form the foundation of the Samuari’s outfit as they prepare for their second ever Emerging Nations campaign.
The squad features Brisbane Broncos player, Gehamat Shibasaki, who made his NRL debut in Round 22 against the North Queensland Cowboys, and his younger brother, Enemarki Shibasaki, from the Townsville Blackhawks Under 20’s team.
The remainder of the squad comes predominately from the Japanese Rugby League National Cup competition, with the Tokyo 13 Warriors providing the bulk of the squad with five players.
Japanese Samurais Squad:
Kazuki Fukushige – Sydney University
Lachlan Grieve – Kansai Kaminari
Amane Konishi – South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs
Yuki Mochizuki – Sydney University
Itaru Matsuo – Marybrough Brothes
Enemarki Shibasaki – Townsville Black Hawks
Gehamat Shibasaki – Brisbane Broncos
Kenshi Tsutsui – Tokyo-Shinjuku Giants
Sean Gabites – Tokyo-Shinjuku Giants
Taou Sugano – Tokyo-Shinjuku Giants
Gorka Gerediaga Etxaburu – Tokyo 13 Warriors
Hiroshi Fukasawa – Tokyo 13 Warriors
Sean Okabe – Tokyo 13 Warriors
Kenta Karino – Tokyo 13 Warriors
Kohei Ishikawa – South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs
Keisuke Nakai – Kansai Kaminari
Akihito Kashiwaba – Tokyo 13 Warriors
Yuto Oba – South Ikebukuro Rabbitohs
* Additional Players to be added
