Former Highlanders lock Joey Wheeler has warned the All Blacks over what awaits the side on the first match of the Northern Tour when they head to Japan to take on the Brave Blossoms in Tokyo.
Wheeler played under current Japan national coach Jamie Joseph at the Highlanders and has ties to Japanese rugby through his five seasons in the formerly named Japan Top League with Suntory Sungoliath.
The former Maori All Black believes that Japan are planning an ambush for Foster’s side after planning extensively the entire year for this contest.
“The Japanese test is the obvious one, the first test on the end-of-year tour,” the former Highlanders lock told Sky Sport NZ’s The Breakdown.
“That’s nervewracking for me as well. This Japanese team, I know for a fact they’ve been preparing themselves all year for this one test match.
“They’ve had two test matches against France in the lead-up, they’ve had two test matches against Australia ‘A’ in the last two weeks.”
Japan have been giant killers on the international stage at the last two World Cups, shocking South Africa in 2015 with a 34-32 win whilst at their home World Cup in 2019 they sent Scotland reeling out of the tournament in the pool stages and upset Ireland.
Should they become the latest side to beat the All Blacks they will earn a significant piece of history with a first ever win over New Zealand.
Their hopes lie on the All Blacks running out an experimental side according to Wheeler, which Japan are expecting.
“They are priming themselves to have a real crack at the All Blacks, with the expectation they’re going to play their supposed ‘B’ team,” Wheeler said.
“They’re thinking, ‘This is our one chance to knock over the All Blacks and create a bit of history for the Japanese’.
“We know, after what they did in the 2019 World Cup, they’re not a walkover like they used to be.”
Japan and New Zealand have only played four times at the international level, with the All Blacks winning all four comfortably.
They first met at the 1995 World Cup where New Zealand put up a record 145-17 win, while their last clash in 2018 saw a 69-31 win over what was called a ‘B’ side as the top squad was sent to Europe early.
