TOKYO (April 4) – John Kirwan named 10 uncapped players Friday in his 30-man squad for the Asian Five Nations.Seven forwards and three backs, including the Kiwi pair of Shaun Webb and Ryan Nicholas, will get their first taste of international rugby in the new tournament that kicks off on April 26 when Japan takes on South Korea in Incheon.The other uncapped player in the backs is Sanyo Wild Knights scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka, who has previously played for Auckland Under-19s.The forwards show a number of changes from the squad that went to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, partly as the result of injury (to Phil O’Reilly and Luke Thompson) and international retirement (Yasunori Watanabe).Tanaka’s Sanyo teammate Ryu Koliniasi Holani has been included after committing himself to Japan (where he was educated) ahead of Tonga (the land of his birth).Suntory Sungoliath lock Koji Shinozuka is also named, a year after a serious knee injury ruined his chances of going to the World Cup.Another player back from injury is flyhalf James Arlidge, who won his first cap against South Korea last year only to see his World Cup hopes disappear as the result of a broken leg he suffered playing against the Classic All Blacks.With only four of the players in their 30s, Kirwan hopes that he can build on the progress made since he took over a year ago, while at the same time look ahead to the future.Takuro Miuchi, Japan’s captain at the last two World Cups, is the most experienced member of the squad with 40 caps.
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