Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for First Test Against Ireland

Japan Head Coach Lesley McKenzie has today named the Sakura Fifteen team to take on Ireland in the first of two test matches, this Saturday, July 20 at Shizuoka ECOPA Stadium, as part of the Taiyoseimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022.  

The Sakura Fifteen will be looking to make amends for their narrow 15-12 loss against Ireland in Dublin last November. Having won four of their last five matches, confidence will be running high in the team as they look to emulate the Brave Blossoms’ famous 19-12 victory over Ireland at the same venue, during Rugby World Cup 2019.   

Captained by tight-head prop, Saki Minami in her 24^th test for Japan, the side also sees the return of Kyoko Hosokawa at number-seven and Moe Tsukui at halfback, both of whom last played for the Sakura Fifteen in their 10-12 victory over the Wallaroos on the Gold Coast, back in May. Meanwhile Kotomi Taniguchi returns to the side for the first time since 2019 for her second test cap as a front-row reserve.

Barnstorming utility forward and try-scoring machine Seina Saito, who scored three tries in the recent tests against South Africa will earn her 30^th test cap for Japan from the reserves bench, while starting lock, Misaki Suzuki will also reach the 30 cap milestone.

Saturday’s match will be the third of the four test match series, with Japan set to face Ireland again the following Saturday, August 27 at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. In the series’ two earlier matches at the end of July, the Sakura Fifteen faced South Africa in Kamaishi and Kumagaya, winning the first match 15-6 and going down to the Springbok Women 10-20 in the second.

The match kicks off at 19:00 JST and will be telecast in Japan from 18:45 JST on J Sports Two and available for streaming on J Sports On-Demand.

The Taiyoseimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022 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	Team	cm	kg	D・O・B	caps
1	Saki MINAMI	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	163	70	1995/11/18	23
2	Nijiho NAGATA	International Budo Univ.	162	79	2000/12/6	6
3	Yuka SADAKA	Hirosaki sakura ovals	167	91	1994/11/2	10
4	Kie TAMAI	MIE PEARLS	168	78	1992/10/24	11
5	Maki TAKANO	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	170	77	1995/8/17	14
6	Misaki SUZUKI	Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix	164	66	1992/4/9	29
7	Kyoko HOSOKAWA	MIE PEARLS	164	70	1999/7/8	5
8	Ayano NAGAI	YOKOHAMA TKM	168	84	1997/10/14	8
9	Moe TSUKUI	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	153	53	2000/3/28	17
10	Ayasa OTSUKA	RKU GRACE	163	63	1999/5/5	7
11	Komachi IMAKUGI	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA /Rissho Univ.	158	62	2002/1/6	7
12	Shione NAKAYAMA	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	166	70	1999/1/18	5
13	Rinka MATSUDA	Nippon Sport Science Univ.	170	75	2001/12/5	3
14	Riho KUROGI	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	165	65	1998/5/2	11
15	Ria ANOKU	MIE PEARLS	160	60	1996/10/2	6
16	Hinata KOMAKI	Nippon Sport Science Univ.	166	76	2001/5/9	2
17	Kotomi TANIGUCHI	MIE PEARLS	163	74	1995/4/10	1
18	Makoto LAVEMAI	YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars	163	70	1997/7/2	15
19	Masami KAWAMURA	RKU GRACE	173	70	1999/7/13	2
20	Seina SAITO	MIE PEARLS	164	72	1992/5/30	29
21	Megumi ABE	ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA	147	53	1998/4/28	8
22	Minori YAMAMOTO	MIE PEARLS	169	72	1996/12/9	19
23	Sakurako KORAI	Nippon Sport Science Univ.	167	67	2003/4/9	1