Sakura Fifteen to Host USA in Two-Test Series
The Japan Rugby Football Union is delighted to announce that the Sakura Fifteen will host the USA Women’s National Team for a two-test tour to Japan in August this year as part of the Taiyo Seimei JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE SERIES 2024. The tour will be the first time for the two sides to face each other on one of either team’s home soil, with both previous encounters taking place at neutral venues during Rugby World Cups.
The first match will take place on Sunday, August 11 at Mikuni World Stadium in Kitakyushu, with the return match following six days later, on Saturday, August 17 at ECOPA Stadium in Shizuoka.
Japan, who currently sit at 11th in World Rugby’s global rankings have yet to taste victory against a USA side currently ranked seventh in the world. While the USA comfortably beat Japan by 121-points-to-zero in their first meeting back at Rugby World Cup 1994 in Scotland, the Sakura Fifteen were able to put in a far more competitive performance in their next meeting in 2023, at Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Japan still went down that day 17-30, but their performance showed a marked improvement in their ability to handle the physicality and size of a USA team that was one of the earliest international women’s sides to transition into a high-performance environment.
With conditions expected to be hot and humid during the peak of Japan’s summer, the Sakura Fifteen will no doubt look to play the game on their terms by playing fast, high intensity rugby, to try and run their much larger opponents off their feet. The USA on the other hand will be highly motivated to keep their unbeaten record against their hosts and make their best preparation for this year’s WXV series.
Commenting on the announcement, Sakura Fifteens Head Coach, Lesley McKenzie said:
“We look forward to welcoming Sione Fukofuka and the USA Women’s Eagles to Japan for what will be an exciting two test series. With the USA ranked seventh in the world and coming off the back of an impressive 32-25 win against last year’s form side the Wallaroos, these games offer another opportunity for the Sakura Fifteens to test ourselves against one of the top sides in the world.
“These games will form an integral part of our preparation toward WXV2 and our wider preparation for the World Cup 2025. We are currently mid-tour in Fiji, so reflecting on the current position of the squad and coming off the back of a hard earned 24-15 first test win against Fiji, I have to say I was delighted with many aspects of our performance from both a training and game perspective.
“We are missing a number of experienced and quality players, so what was always going to be a tough tour has been made all the more challenging. However, in such challenges lie opportunities and this has been the case, offering us a great chance to blood new talent, look at new combinations and build on the experience of some of our younger players.
“Under our new forwards coach Mark Bakewell, the pack has attained another level. This is testimony not only to Mark’s quality as a coach but just as much the ability of the players to absorb, learn and execute the detail that Mark has brought to our game. Similarly, it was great to have the backs return from their sevens programme. Transitioning back into fifteens is always a challenging process, both physically and tactically, but the growth of the backs has been evident over the Asia Championships, which saw us qualify for WC2025, and during our time here in Fiji.
“The last six months of training and competition have allowed us to build our game and squad depth, with competition for places in the squad for WXV more intense than they have ever been, which can only be good for the Sakura Fifteens programme.”
USA Head Coach, Sione Fukofuka said:
“The opportunity to play Japan in Japan is one that the playing group and staff are very excited about. We are very appreciative of the work that has gone into organising this tour by USA Rugby, World Rugby and Japanese Rugby. After the positive result against Australia, qualifying for the World Cup and WXV1, we are hungry for a chance to get back out on the field and continue to build on the foundation that we have been able to set in place.”
Further details, including kick off times, ticketing and broadcast information will be announced in due course.
Japan vs USA Past Results:
October 15, 2022 (L) 17-30 Whangarei, New Zealand (RWC)
April 15, 1994 (L) 0-121 Melrose, Scotland (RWC)
