Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for Inaugural WXV 2
With World Rugby’s inaugural WXV 2 kicking off in Cape Town between 13 – 28 October, the Japan Rugby Football Union has today announced the 30 player, Sakura Fifteen squad that will travel to South Africa for the tournament.
Captained by Iroha Nagata, the squad comprises 18 forwards and 12 backs, including Japan’s most capped player, the indomitable Seina Saito. Saito adds her 37 caps to a squad that brings together a strong core of experienced players, balanced with a contingent of exciting new talent destined to be Sakura Fifteens stars of the future. Of the 30 players making up the squad, prop, Natsuki KASHIWAGI is the only uncapped player, while 16 come into the tournament with 10 test caps or less experience.
The Sakura Fifteen will be looking to make a strong showing following their disappointing performance at last year’s World Cup in New Zealand. If current form is anything to go by, the Japanese team heads to South Africa with renewed confidence and momentum off the back of a six-match winning streak following their historic 24-25 win over Italy away in Parma on Saturday, 30 September. Prior to this, Japan also defeated Fiji in both of their recent home test matches, as well as recording solid victories away to Kazakhstan and Spain.
Their victory against Le Azzurre, the first time Japan has ever beaten the eighth ranked Italians holds double significance as Italy was the last game they lost, at the World Cup last year, while they are also Japan’s first opponent in WXV 2 at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, on 13 October.
Following their opening match against Italy, the Sakura Fifteen then take on Samoa on Saturday, 21 October, followed by Scotland on Friday, 27 October, with both matches taking place at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town. Being the first year of the tournament, there will be no promotion and relegation between Divisions One and Two, however the sixth-placed Division Two team will face relegation to Division Three for next year’s tournament.
Fans looking to catch the action from South Africa, along with all the WXV 1 and 3 matches taking place in New Zealand and Dubai respectively, will be delighted that the entire tournament will be broadcast on RugbyPass TV, World Rugby’s new global streaming platform.
| Name | Team | School/Company | height | weigth | DOB | caps |
| FW | ||||||
| Sachiko KATO | YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars | 164 | 89 | 2000/2/19 | 19 | |
| Natsuki KASHIWAGI | Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix | Sankyu Inc. | 158 | 68 | 1998/9/22 | – |
| Masami KAWAMURA | RKU GRACE | Morooka Co.,Ltd. | 173 | 70 | 1999/7/13 | 8 |
| Asuka KUGE | ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA | Goto Hygine Consultant | 163 | 75 | 1994/9/22 | 5 |
| Sakurako KORAI | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 168 | 74 | 2003/4/9 | 6 |
| Hinata KOMAKI | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 166 | 78 | 2001/5/9 | 11 |
| Seina SAITO | MIE PEARLS | Sumitomo Wiring Systems | 167 | 73 | 1992/5/30 | 37 |
| Yuka SADAKA | Hirosaki sakura ovals | SEINAN Corp. | 167 | 100 | 1994/11/2 | 17 |
| Kotomi TANIGUCHI | YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars | NKS Corp | 163 | 74 | 1995/4/10 | 10 |
| Ayano NAGAI | YOKOHAMA TKM | Yokohama Mirai Healthcare System | 168 | 84 | 1997/10/14 | 18 |
| Iroha NAGATA | ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA | Kanto Foods Co.,Ltd. | 167 | 70 | 1998/12/21 | 24 |
| Nijiho NAGATA | 162 | 80 | 2000/12/6 | 13 | ||
| Mio NISHIMURA | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 168 | 83 | 2002/11/29 | 3 |
| Sakurako HATADA | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 161 | 66 | 2003/5/8 | 1 |
| Manami MINE | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 163 | 76 | 2003/9/11 | 1 |
| Otoka YOSHIMURA | ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA/Rissho Univ. | Rissho Univ. | 174 | 83 | 2001/5/15 | 12 |
| Mei YOSHIMOTO | Otemon Univ. | Otemon Univ. | 168 | 65 | 2002/3/21 | 1 |
| Jennifer NDUKA | Hokkaido Barbarians Diana | Medical System Network | 165 | 74 | 2000/10/18 | 2 |
| BK | ||||||
| Megumi ABE | ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA | RDC Co.,Ltd. | 147 | 53 | 1998/4/28 | 17 |
| Nao ANDO | BRAVE LOUVE | Tokyo Ariake Univ. | 169 | 62 | 2001/7/17 | 3 |
| Komachi IMAKUGI | ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA/Rissho Univ. | Rissho Univ. | 158 | 62 | 2002/1/6 | 17 |
| Ayasa OTSUKA | RKU GRACE | IBARAKI TOYOPET Co.,Ltd. | 163 | 63 | 1999/5/5 | 18 |
| Kanako KOBAYASHI | YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars | 162 | 70 | 1998/11/13 | 9 | |
| Moe TSUKUI | YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars | LIBEST Corp. | 153 | 53 | 2000/3/28 | 27 |
| Sora NISHIMURA | MIE PEARLS | Choko Co.，Ltd. | 167 | 68 | 2000/9/29 | 5 |
| Haruka HIROTSU | Nanairo PRISM FUKUOKA | Waseda Univ. | 169 | 68 | 2000/10/29 | 3 |
| Mana FURUTA | Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix | NTT Facilities Inc. | 167 | 69 | 1997/11/16 | 22 |
| Misaki MATSUMURA | Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix | Waseda Univ. | 169 | 68 | 2005/3/6 | 2 |
| Kotono YASUO | BRAVE LOUVE | Toyo Univ. | 156 | 61 | 2001/10/2 | 6 |
| Minori YAMAMOTO | Worcester Warriors Women | 169 | 70 | 1996/12/9 | 25 |