In the pack, Georgian Jaba Bregvadze gets a start at hooker with Shota Horie dropping out of the matchday 23.

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In the backline, Hayden Parker and Fumiaki Tanaka form a new halfback partnership, while Kenki Fukuoka comes in on the wing in place of Lomano Lava.

Hosea Saumaki comes in on the other wing with William Tupou replacing Kotaro Matsushima at fullback.

Pieter Labuschagne takes over the captaincy for the encounter.

Sunwolves: 15 William Tupou, 14 Hosea Saumaki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Kazuki Himeno, 7 Pieter Labuschagne (captain), 6 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 James Moore, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Craig Millar.

Replacements: 16 Yusuke Niwai, 17 Shintato Ishihara, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Sam Wykes, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Ryoto Nakamura, 23 Semisi Masirewa.

Date: Saturday, April 21

Venue: AMI Stadium, Christchurch

Kick-off: 19.35 (16.35 Japan time; 07.35 GMT)

Referee: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Jamie Nutbrown, Cam Stone

TMO: Glenn Newman

PV: 1