UPDATED: Project Suli - Plan revealed for former NRL star, nine Wallabies picked to play Test strength Japan XV

Australia A coach Jason Gilmore has picked nine Wallabies, including eight in the starting XV, for the opening match of a three-game series against a Japan XV in Tokyo on Saturday.

Ned Hanigan returns after a knee injury to start at No.6 in a side packed with talent and featuring players striving to prove their value ahead of the Spring Tour late next month.

“We’ve gone with a real strong team in game one,” Gilmore told reporters from Japan.

“We want to get the tour off to a good start. We’ve g0t a lot of those Wallabies back, some who haven’t played a lot of minutes, and it’s an opportunity to get them some good game time.  Spring tour selection is pretty important for a fair chunk of this group.”

Japan coach Jamie Joseph also unveiled a strong team later Thursday.

Australia’s tight five are all Wallabies – with a front row of Matt Gibbon at loosehead, hooker Lachlan Lonergan and tighthead prop Tom Robertson.

The second row pairing of Nick Frost and Cadeyrn Neville will be backing up just seven days after they played against New Zealand in the Wallabies’ final Rugby Championship game of 2022 at Eden Park. 

Western Force’s Ollie Callan has the No.7 jersey while Langi Gleeson, who forced his way into the extended Wallabies squad after standout performances for Australia A in Fiji in July, will start at No.8

Brumbies scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, who led the team in Fiji, is captain and Waratahs’ Ben Donaldson is his halves partner.

Western Force’s Bayley Kuenzle will make his first appearance in the Australia A side at inside centre with Hudson Creighton named as his midfield partner. 

An all Queensland back three sees Wallabies Filipo Daugunu and Suli Vunivalu on the wings with Jock Campbell named at fullback. 

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has been central in determining the make up of squads and how much game time players will get with a Spring Tour on the horizon.

Rennie has used Vunivalu just once in the Wallabies this year – for a matter of minutes in a loss to England – but the former rugby league star is about to get a major chance to impress.

“He’s super excited,” Gilmore said.

“I’ve had a couple of chats with him just about how he’s going to approach the trip. He’s just keen to play.

“For him to get selection in  the Wallabies he’s just got to get Tests under his belt. He’s obviously had a interrupted program in Super with injury and the like. He’s been in camps and training a lot but he just needs to play.

“This tour will be great for him. We’re going to give him three opportunities playing big minutes to put some  confidence in him. I firmly believe he’s one of the best wingers in the country getting around in either code. We’re fortunate to have him and we want to use him well.”

The match will continue the rise of young Waratahs backrower Gleeson, who made it into the Wallabies extended squad after the July Aus A games.

“He’s such a shy lad but the more confident and comfortable that he feels he starts opening up on the field which is what we saw back end of Fiji. I’ve no doubt Langi is going to be a force in Australian Rugby for a long time,” said Gilmore.

The coach said Donaldson got the start at No.10 and his club mate Tane Edmed would have the jersey for the second game with the third game TBC.

He said Tom Banks would also play in the second match on Saturday week as he returns from a broken arm.

Joseph announced a near Test match strength Japan XV with only two uncapped players – flanker Kanji Shimokawa and emerging No.10 Hayata Nakano in the starting XV.

Veteran backrower Michael Leitch is at No.8 while there is a return after injury for Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne at No.7.

Aside from the uncapped Nakano, the Japan XV features the Brave Blossoms backline used in the two Tests against France over the summer.

“We’re approaching this game exactly as if it was a Test match,” said Joseph.

“Although the guys don’t get caps, mentality wise, it’s very much a Test match for us. Having only played ten games in the last three years, since the last World Cup, we’re running out of time in terms of getting ready for the next World Cup, so we’re approaching these games with a Test match mentality.

“In terms of our selections, first and foremost, we want to preform very well and our priority is to win. If we can do that while also giving some new players and players returning from injury an opportunity to show some form, then that would be a reason why we would select them. But we’re not going into the series thinking it’s an opportunity to give everybody a run.”

The match will be available live on Stan Sport with coverage starting at 7.55pm AEST on Saturday for an 8pm kickoff.

Japan XV (1-23): Craig Millar, Atsushi Sakate, Yusuke Kizu, Jack Cornelsen, Sanaila Waqa, Kanji Shimokawa, Pieter Labuschagne, Michael Leitch, Naoto Saito, Hayata Nakao, Siosaia Fifita, Shogo Nakano, Dylan Riley, Gerhard Van Den Heever, Ryohei Yamanaka, Kosuke Horikoshi, Shogo Miura, Shuhei Takeuchi, Warner Dearns, Kazuki Himeno, Yutaka Nagare, Kotaro Matsushima, Ryuji Noguchi.

Australia A
1. Matt Gibbon (Melbourne Rebels)
2. Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies)
3. Tom Robertson (Western Force)
4. Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies)
5. Cadeyrn Neville (ACT Brumbies)
6. Ned Hanigan (NSW Waratahs)
7. Ollie Callan (Western Force)
8. Langi Gleeson (NSW Waratahs)
9. Ryan Lonergan (c) (ACT Brumbies)
10. Ben Donaldson (NSW Waratahs)
11. Filipo Daugunu (Queensland Reds)
12. Bayley Kuenzle (Western Force)
13. Hudson Creighton (ACT Brumbies)
14. Suliasi Vunivalu (Queensland Reds)
15. Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds)
Replacements
16. Billy Pollard (ACT Brumbies)
17. Harry Hoopert (Queensland Reds)
18. Archer Holz (NSW Waratahs)
19. Ryan Smith (Queensland Reds)
20. Brad Wilkin (Melbourne Rebels)
21. James Tuttle (Melbourne Rebels)
22. Isaac Henry (Queensland Reds)
23. Mark Nawaqanitawase (NSW Waratahs)