The 2018 Italy tour of Japan (; ), also known as the Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup 2018 () for sponsorship reasons, was a two-Test rugby union tour undertaken by the Italian national team during the June international window. The tour formed part of both nations' mid-year programmes and consisted of a warm-up match against Yamaha Júbilo, followed by two-Test matches against Japan in Ōita and Kobe. Italy travelled with a largely experimental squad as head coach Conor O'Shea continued to build depth ahead of future international campaigns.
After defeating Yamaha Júbilo in the opening fixture, Italy split the Test series with Japan 1–1. The hosts claimed a 34–17 victory in the first Test, their largest victory (by margin) over Italy and a tier-one team, before Italy responded with a three-point win in Kobe to level the series.
Their first tour of Japan since 2006, it was Italy's first sole tour of the country.
Schedule Date and time Venue Home Score Away 2 June; 14:00 JST (UTC+09) Nagano U Stadium, Nagano Yamaha Júbilo 19–52 9 June; 14:45 JST (UTC+09) Ōita Bank Dome, Ōita 34–17 16 June; 14:00 JST (UTC+09) Noevir Stadium, Hyōgo-ku 22–25
Venues The tour series was confirmed in December 2017, with venues and dates announced in January 2018. Having played on just six previous occasions, it marked the first time the two had met in Ōita and Kobe. A pre-Test tour match was later confirmed against the Yamaha Júbilo of the professional Top League to take place in Nagano.
Kobe Nagano Noevir Stadium Nagano U Stadium Capacity: 30,132 Capacity: 15,491 Ōita Ōita Bank Dome Capacity: 40,000
Squads
Italy On the 21 May 2018, Italy announced a 32-man squad for their tour of Japan during the June international window. On 22 May, Giosuè Zilocchi was added to the squad for the tour.
Head Coach: Conor O'Shea
Japan On 24 May 2018, a 33-man squad was announced for Japan's two-Test series against Italy and a single Test against Georgia in the 2018 June Tests.
Head Coach: Jamie Joseph
Matches Warm-up match
FB 15Matt McGahanRW 14Gerrie LabuschagnéOC 13Masatoshi MiyazawaIC 12Viliami TahituʻaLW 11Chikara ItoFH 10Sho KiyoharaSH 9 Yuki YatomiN8 8 Kyosuke HorieOF 7 Kazuki YamajiBF 6 Mose Tuiali'iRL 5 Uwe HeluLL 4 Yuya OdoTP 3 Heiichiro ItoHK 2 Takeshi HinoLP 1 Koki YamamotoReplacements:HK 16Shogo NakaPR 17Yuji UekiPR 18Sohei NishimuraLK 19Eishin KuwanoSH 20Shinya IkemachiCE 21Hiroto KobayashiCoach:Jamie Joseph FB 15Matteo MinozziRW 14Tommaso BenvenutiOC 13Giulio BisegniIC 12Luca MorisiLW 11Mattia BelliniFH 10Tommaso AllanSH 9 Marcello VioliN8 8 Braam SteynOF 7 Giovanni LicataBF 6 Sebastian NegriRL 5 Dean BuddLL 4 Federico RuzzaTP 3 Simone FerrariHK 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (c)LP 1 Andrea LovottiReplacements:HK 16Luca BigiPR 17Federico ZaniPR 18Giosuè ZilocchiLK 19George BiagiSH 20Tito TebaldiFH 21Carlo CannaWG 22Edoardo PadovaniFB 23Jayden HaywardCoach:Conor O'Shea
First Test
FB 15Kotaro MatsushimaRW 14Lomano LemekiOC 13Will Tupou IC 12Timothy LafaeleLW 11Kenki FukuokaFH 10Yu Tamura SH 9 Fumiaki Tanaka N8 8 Amanaki Mafi OF 7 Michael Leitch (c)BF 6 Kazuki HimenoRL 5 Samuela AniseLL 4 Wimpie van der Walt TP 3 Koo Ji-won HK 2 Shota Horie LP 1 Keita Inagaki Replacements:HK 16Yusuke Niwai PR 17Shintaro Ishihara PR 18Takuma Asahara LK 19Uwe Helu FL 20Yoshitaka Tokunaga SH 21Yutaka Nagare FH 22Rikiya Matsuda CE 23Ryoto Nakamura Coach:Jamie Joseph FB 15Matteo MinozziRW 14Tommaso BenvenutiOC 13Michele CampagnaroIC 12Tommaso CastelloLW 11Mattia Bellini FH 10Tommaso AllanSH 9 Marcello Violi N8 8 Braam SteynOF 7 Giovanni Licata BF 6 Sebastian NegriRL 5 Dean Budd LL 4 Alessandro Zanni TP 3 Tiziano Pasquali HK 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (c) LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Luca Bigi PR 17Federico Zani PR 18Giosuè Zilocchi LK 19George Biagi LK 20Marco Fuser FL 21Jake Polledri SH 22Tito Tebaldi FB 23Jayden Hayward Coach:Conor O'Shea Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) Nick Briant (New Zealand) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Giosuè Zilocchi (Italy) made his international debut. This is Japan's biggest victory (by margin) over Italy, and a tier-one team. It surpassed their 15-point victories set in 1998 and 2013 against Argentina and Wales, respectively.
Second Test
FB 15Kotaro MatsushimaRW 14Lomano LemekiOC 13Will TupouIC 12Timothy Lafaele LW 11Kenki FukuokaFH 10Yu Tamura SH 9 Fumiaki Tanaka N8 8 Kazuki HimenoOF 7 Michael Leitch (c)BF 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga RL 5 Samuela Anise LL 4 Wimpie van der Walt TP 3 Koo Ji-won HK 2 Shota Horie LP 1 Keita Inagaki Replacements:HK 16Yusuke Niwai PR 17Shintaro Ishihara PR 18Takuma Asahara LK 19Uwe Helu N8 20Amanaki Mafi SH 21Yutaka Nagare FH 22Rikiya Matsuda CE 23Ryoto Nakamura Coach:Jamie Joseph FB 15Jayden HaywardRW 14Tommaso BenvenutiOC 13Michele Campagnaro IC 12Tommaso CastelloLW 11Matteo MinozziFH 10Tommaso AllanSH 9 Marcello Violi N8 8 Braam SteynOF 7 Jake Polledri BF 6 Sebastian NegriRL 5 Dean BuddLL 4 Alessandro Zanni TP 3 Tiziano Pasquali HK 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (c) LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Luca Bigi PR 17Cherif Traorè PR 18Simone Ferrari LK 19Marco Fuser FL 20Giovanni Licata SH 21Tito Tebaldi FH 22Carlo CannaCE 23Giulio Bisegni Coach:Conor O'Shea Touch judges: Nigel Owens (Wales) Nic Berry (Australia) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Yu Tamura (Japan) earned his 50th Test cap. Cherif Traorè (Italy) made his international debut.
See also 2018 June Tests
References