Japan vs England predictions and international rugby tips: Red Rose too strong for Brave Blossoms

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Japan vs England predictions

England face a huge Test series in New Zealand this summer but before that they face a tough battle with the heat and humidity of Tokyo in Saturday morning's Test against Japan.

If it's billed as a warm-up to the two Tests against the All Blacks then it should live up to its name in temperatures of around 30C forecast, and the feeling early in the week was that England might be slow to get into gear.

But the ever-unpredictable Eddie Jones, back at the helm for Japan after spells in charge of England and Australia, has sprung something of a surprise by naming a young and inexperienced squad, and for all his famed motivational strengths, he may be on the end of a convincing defeat.

England have been forced into changes too, following injuries to fly-half George Ford, prop Ellis Genge and lock Ollie Chessum, while other Red Rose stalwarts are out of the picture following moves to France.

But it's far from a radical overhaul to the team as 11 of the starting line-up started England's final Six Nations match, while Marcus Smith, hardly a newcomer, starts at fly-half. The Quins man is heir apparent to the number ten shirt and has 31 caps to his name already.

It's a very different story in the Japan camp. Jones has named eight new caps in his 23-man squad, four of whom are in the starting 15, two of them in the front row. The front five have only 16 caps between them and if England can get on top in the early exchanges up front, it should set the platform for a big win.

Smith's creativity at fly-half and an exciting back three of George Furbank, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Tommy Freeman give England plenty of attacking edge.

England have met Japan eight times in all but only three times this century, all in the last six years. They won their 2023 World Cup pool match 34-12 while Tests at Twickenham in 2022 and 2018 ended in victory by scorelines of 52-13 and 35-15.

In all those matches Japan struggled to put points on England and a revamped side under a new, if familiar to some, coach may not fare much better. 

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