It is a game that will give Australia, who are in the same Rugby World Cup pool as Wales and were runners-up up in 2015, a first taste of the 72,327 seater venue at which the 2019 final will be played.
Half backs Will Genia and Bernard Foley and full back Karmichael Hunt will all miss the historic first clash between the Wallabies and the Cherry Blossoms on Japanese soil. Genia is struggling with a calf injury, Foley has been struck by illness and Hunt has a neck problem.
Hunt injured his neck in the final training session in Sydney on Tuesday and the nine hour flight further aggravated further the problem. Genia suffered a minor calf injury in the win over New Zealand in Brisbane and is set resume full training next week.
Their misfortune has meant a major reshuffle of the back division with Bledisloe Cup hero Reece Hodge moving into the No 10 jersey. Kurtley Beale switching to full back and Samu Kerevi join Tevita Kuridrani at centre.
“The Spring Tour is four weeks in a row so there’s going to be a bit going on with bodies and injuries and that anyway,” said Wallaby skipper Michael Hooper.
“You hope for the best, but it’s rugby, and as we’ve seen this week that things can change really quickly. That’s what this squad needs – in two years’ time we’re playing in a World Cup here and the depth of our squad’s going to be critical.”
Lock Matt Philip is set to become the 25th new cap blooded by Cheika since the 2015 World Cup, while one row back, Ben McCalman will finally make his 50th appearance some 14 months on from his last game of Test rugby due to injury if he comes off the bench.
Australia v Japan
15. Kurtley Beale (67 Tests)
14. Henry Speight (17 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (54 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (14 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (4 Tests)
10. Reece Hodge (20 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (58 Tests)
1. Scott Sio (39 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (78 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (87 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (78 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (18 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (9 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (75 Tests – captain)
8. Sean McMahon (22 Tests)
Replacements
16. Stephen Moore (125 Tests)
17. Tom Robertson (15 Tests)
18. Allan Alaalatoa (19 Tests)
19. Matt Philip*
20. Ben McCalman (49 Tests)
21. Lopeti Timani (9 Tests)
22. Joe Powell (2 Tests)
23. Curtis Rona (2 Tests)
*denotes uncapped
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