Sakura Fifteen Brace for Rebound by Springbok Women in Second Test

Japan Head Coach Lesley McKenzie has today named the Sakura Fifteen team to take on South Africa in the second of their two test matches, this Saturday, July 30 at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, as part of the Taiyoseimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022. This follows their 15-6 victory over the Springbok Women last Sunday in Kamaishi, the Sakura Fifteen’s first test on home soil since the Women’s Asia Rugby Championship in July 2017.

Having successfully shut down the big Springbok backline last weekend, Japan will be looking to once again contain a South African side eager to record a win on their first tour to Japan. With Japan and South Africa ranked 12^th and 13^th respectively on World Rugby’s rankings, another tough and highly competitive match is expected in hot and humid conditions at Kumagaya.

Following last weekend’s match, the team lineup has seen some changes with seven new players coming into the match day 23. Team Captain Saki Minami will start the match on the reserves bench, with Makoto Lavemai rotating into the starting lineup at loosehead. Masami Kawamura who earned her first cap off the bench in Kamaishi has been elevated to the starting side and will partner the experienced Kie Tamai in the second row.

Barnstorming back-rower Seina Saito, who scored two tries last weekend, will start on the blindside flank, while veteran back Ayaka Suzuki has been called into the team for the first time since 2018 to earn her 18th test cap from the reserves bench. Meanwhile, Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave returns at Number Eight after having played is all three recent tour matches in Australia.

Sakura Fifteen Assistant Coach, Louise Dalgliesh commented:

“We saw last week that South Africa brought a very physical contest and we let them effect some of our contact areas and the quality of ball we were able to generate. It will be important for us this week to target that area, to take charge of our own ball, to enable us to play the game at the tempo we want to play and to control the areas of the pitch where we want to play the game.”

The match kicks off at 17:45 JST and will be telecast in Japan from 17:30 JST on J Sports Two and available for streaming on J Sports On-Demand.

In addition to the two test matches against South Africa, the Taiyoseimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022 will see the Sakura Fifteen play Ireland at Shizuoka ECOPA Stadium on Saturday, August 20, and again, one week later at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Saturday, August 27.

The series is being played at some of Japan’s most iconic rugby stadiums, all with their own unique history. Kamaishi, Kumagaya and Shizuoka were all Rugby World Cup 2019 venues, while Chichibunomiya is considered the spiritual home of Japanese rugby.

Team List:

No.	Name	Club Team	cm	kg	D・O・B	Caps
1	Makoto LAVEMAI	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	163	70	1997/7/2	14
2	Nijiho NAGATA	nternational Budo Univ.	162	79	2000/12/6	5
3	Yuka SADAKA	saki sakura ovals	167	91	1994/11/2	9
4	Kie TAMAI	MIE PEARLS	168	78	1992/10/24	10
5	Masami KAWAMURA	RKU GRACE	173	70	1999/7/13	1
6	Seina　SAITO	MIE PEARLS	164	72	1992/5/30	28
7	Iroha NAGATA	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	167	70	1998/12/21	13
8	Mateitoga BOGIDRAUMAINADAVE	MIE PEARLS	170	96	1984/6/6	13
9	Megumi ABE	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	147	53	1998/4/28	7
10	Ayasa OTSUKA	RKU GRACE	163	63	1999/5/5	6
11	Riho KUROGI	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	165	65	1998/5/2	10
12	Minori YAMAMOTO	MIE PEARLS	169	72	1996/12/9	18
13	Mana FURUTA	Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix	167	69	1997/11/16	12
14	Hinano NAGURA	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	170	75	1997/3/22	8
15	Ria ANOKU	MIE PEARLS	160	60	1996/10/2	5
16	Saki MINAMI	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	163	70	1995/11/18	22
17	Misaki SUZUKI	Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix	164	66	1992/4/9	28
18	Wako KITANO	MIE PEARLS	166	80	1999/9/8	5
19	Otoka YOSHIMURA	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA/Rissho Univ.	174	83	2001/5/15	3
20	Ayano NAGAI	YOKOHAMA TKM	168	84	1997/10/14	7
21	Kotono YASUO	BRAVE LOUVE	156	61	2001/10/2	1
22	Ayaka SUZUKI	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	168	64	1989/9/30	17
23	Yuki ITO	MIE PEARLS	163	63	1996/10/24	10