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Japan student Ito keeps place against Ireland as Jones returns / Photo: Philip FONG - AFP
Japan student Ito keeps place against Ireland as Jones returns
Japan kept university student fly-half Ryunosuke Ito in their starting line-up named Thursday to face Ireland in the Nations Championship, as head coach Eddie Jones returns from suspension.
Ito made his international debut in Japan's 27-10 win against Italy in Tokyo last week and the 21-year-old impressed enough to keep his place alongside half-back partner Naoto Saito.
Taira Main replaces Kippei Ishida on the left wing in Japan's only change for Saturday's Test which will be played in Newcastle, Australia.
Jones returns after serving a four-match ban imposed by the Japan Rugby Football Football Union for abusing match officials on a tour of Australia earlier this year.
Four players, including Ito, made their Japan debuts against Italy.
Japan will also face France in the inaugural Nations Championship in Tokyo on July 18.
Japan (15-1):
Takuro Matsunaga; Kazuma Ueda, Dylan Riley, Yuya Hirose, Taira Main; Ryunosuke Ito, Naoto Saito; Jack Cornelsen, Kanji Shimokawa, Ben Gunter; Warner Dearns (capt), Harry Hockings; Shuhei Takeuchi, Mamoru Harada, Takato Okabe
Replacements: Hayate Era, Sojiro Otuska, Keijiro Tamefusa, Michael Stolberg, Michael Leitch, Tiennan Costley, Itsuki Kamimura, Sam Greene
B.Cote--SMC
