Japanese scrum-half to make Test debut

Scrum-half Takashi Tsuji will make his Test debut after being named in the starting line-up by Japan coach Shogo Mukai to face Scotland in Townsville on Sunday.

The NEC player is the only uncapped member of the Cherry Blossoms squad but he will have the assurance of 37-cap veteran Keiji Hirose outside him at fly-half against Scotland.

Tsuji forced his way into the World Cup squad at the expense of the more experienced Wataru Murata and will be playing opposite another veteran, Scottish skipper Bryan Redpath.

Also in the Japanese starting line-up is New Zealand-born centre Ruben Parkinson, playing in just his fourth Test and forming a centre pairing with the highly-rated Yukio Motoki, who is playing in his fourth World Cup.