Sakura Fifteens Secure Big Win Over Kazakhstan
Going into the match with a new look side featuring six debutants, the Sakura Fifteen took time to find their rhythm. Looking for a fast start and wanting to move the ball at speed, a mixture of early season rustiness and nerves saw their attack splutter in the opening 10 minutes. Numerous moments in attack came up short off the back of missed passes and knock-ons in uncontested situations.
While their attack took time to click, the Japan coaching team would have no doubt been delighted by the starch shown in the Sakura Fifteen’s defense. From the opening whistle, wave after wave of resolute, one-on-one and two-up tackles snuffed out the attacking forays of their hosts.
With Kazakhstan struggling to find a way through the Japanese defence, and with the visitors starting to see their passes stick, it was only a matter of time for this pressure to start showing on the scoreboard. Japan scored their first try on the 12th minute through centre, Mana Furuta and went on to score another five before going into the sheds at half time with a commanding 5-30 lead.
The second stanza saw much of the same, with Japan once again scoring six tries to Kazakhstan’s one. Overall, the match was a solid 12-try performance for the team, with a hattrick of tries from Japan’s Sevens and Fifteens speedster, Rinka Matsuda on the right wing.
While Japan would have been delighted with the result, much credit should also go to Kazakhstan who never stopped trying all day, even when the scoreboard began to run away from them. A particular aspect in which they excelled was their work over the ball at the ruck. Their speed, strength and technique in the jackal resulted in numerous turnover ball which was a real highlight of their game. Like Japan, they will no doubt build from this first match as they look towards their next fixture against Hong Kong China.
Commenting after the match, Sakura Fifteen Interim Head Coach Toshizumi Kitagawa said:
“I’m really happy we were able to secure victory in our opening test and I’m particularly delighted that our new players earned their first caps and made such a significant contribution. As a team, there were aspects of both our attack and defence that aligned to our game plan, yet there is still a lot of room for improvement. We will work hard to address these areas ahead of our match against Hong Kong China.”
Sakura Fifteen Captain Moe Tsukui added:
“Thanks for all the support during our match against Kazakhstan. With many players making their debuts, there were quite a few nerves ahead of the match. But out on the field, every player played to their strengths, and we managed to secure the win. We’ve identified several areas for improvement, so we will be working on these ahead of our next match.”
Japan next face Hong Kong China on Tuesday, May 5, at the Almaty Sport Complex with a kick-off at 16:00 local time, 20:00 JST. Fans looking to catch every match of the Asia Rugby Emirates Women’s Championship can tune in live via Asia Rugby’s Facebook page or through the YouTube channel.
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2026 Asia Rugby Women’s Championship Fixtures
| Round 1 | THU 30 APR | Kazakhstan vs Japan | 12 – 64 |
| Round 2 | TUE 5 MAY 16:00 KO (20:00 JST) | Hong Kong China vs Japan | – |
| Round 3 | SUN 10 MAY 14:00 KO (18:00 JST) | Kazakhstan vs Hong Kong China | – |