Japan women's national rugby union team

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For the men's team, see Japan national rugby union team. For the women's sevens team, see Japan women's national rugby sevens team.
Japan
Nickname(s)Cherry Blossom 15 (桜十五 (kanji), さくらフィフティーン (kana), Sakura fifutīn)
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Head coachLesley McKenzie
CaptainSaki Minami
First colours
Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current11 (as of 4 September 2023)
Highest10 (2023)
First international
 France 62–0 Japan 
(Aberavon, Wales; 6 April 1991)
Biggest win
 Japan 82–0 Hong Kong 
(Almaty, Kazakhstan; 4 September 2013)
Biggest defeat
 Japan 0–121 United States 
(Melrose, Scotland; 15 April 1994)
World Cup
Appearances5 (First in 1991)
Best result8th (1994)

The Japan women's national rugby union team (Ragubī joshi nihon daihyō (ラグビー女子日本代表), nicknamed Sakura Fifteen) are a national sporting side of Japan, representing them at rugby union. The side first played in 1991.[1]

History[edit]

Japan made their international debut at the 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup.[1] Since then, Japan has appeared at three other editions of the World Cup in 1994, 2002 and 2017.[2] The team has won the Asia Rugby Women's Championship in 2015,[3] 2016 and 2017.

Japan qualified for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand after a revision of Asia's qualification was made due to the global pandemic. As Asia's highest ranked team they qualified automatically for the tournament.[4]

In November 2021, Japan toured Europe and played test matches against Ireland, Scotland and Wales.[5][6][7][8] Wales defeated Japan 23–5, the Sakura's scoring their only try in the 77th minute with a missed conversion.[9] Scotland ran in six tries to give the Sakura's their second loss 36–12, at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh.[10] Ireland down to 14 players pulled off an unlikely win to beat Japan 15–12.[11]

Japan toured Australia in 2022, they played and won matches against Australia, the Australian Barbarians, and Fiji.[12]

Records[edit]

Overall[edit]

See also: List of Japan women's national rugby union team matches
Women's
World Rugby Rankings
Top 20 rankings as of 20 May 2024[13]
Rank Change* Team Points
1 Steady  England 096.90
2 Increase1  Canada 089.13
3 Decrease1  New Zealand 088.96
4 Steady  France 087.27
5 Steady  Australia 078.36
6 Steady  Scotland 075.99
7 Increase3  United States 074.57
8 Decrease1  Wales 074.28
9 Decrease1  Italy 074.26
10 Decrease1  Ireland 073.53
11 Steady  Japan 069.38
12 Steady  South Africa 065.17
13 Steady  Spain 065.15
14 Steady  Russia 061.10
15 Steady  Samoa 059.57
16 Steady  Netherlands 058.98
17 Steady  Fiji 058.65
18 Steady  Hong Kong 058.31
19 Steady  Kazakhstan 055.97
20 Steady  Sweden 052.72
*Change from the previous week

(Full internationals only)

See Women's international rugby for information about the status of international games and match numbering

Rugby: Japan internationals 1991-
Opponent First game Played Won Drawn Lost Win %
 Australia 2017 4 1 0 3 25%
 Canada 1994 2 0 0 2 0.00%
 Fiji 2016 2 2 0 0 100%
 France 1991 3 0 0 3 0.00%
 Hong Kong 1998 17 16 0 1 94.11%
 Ireland 1994 7 2 0 5 28.57%
 Italy 2002 4 0 1 3 0.00%
 Kazakhstan 2005 9 2 0 7 22.22%
 Netherlands 2002 2 1 0 1 50%
 New Zealand 2022 1 0 0 1 0.00%
 Samoa 2000 1 1 0 0 100%
 Scotland 2019 2 1 0 1 50%
 Singapore 2007 4 4 0 0 100%
 South Africa 2022 2 2 0 0 100%
 Spain 1991 3 1 0 2 33.33%
 Sweden 1991 2 1 0 1 50%
 United States 1994 2 0 0 2 0.00%
 Wales 2017 2 1 0 1 50%
Summary 1991 69 35 1 33 50.72%

Rugby World Cup[edit]

Rugby World Cup
Year Round Position GP W D L PF PA
Wales 1991 Plate quarter-finals 12th 3 0 0 3 0 112
Scotland 1994 Shield 3rd play-off 8th 5 1 0 4 13 293
Netherlands 1998 Did not enter
Spain 2002 13th place play-off 14th 4 2 0 2 58 95
Canada 2006 Did not qualify
England 2010
France 2014
Ireland 2017 11th place play-off 11th 5 1 0 4 87 152
New Zealand 2021 Pool stage — 3 0 0 3 30 92
Total 5/9 8th 20 4 0 16 188 744

Players[edit]

Recent Squad[edit]

Japan named their 26-player squad for the 2024 Asia Rugby Women's Championship.[14][15]

Player Position Date of Birth Club/Province
Sakurako Hatada Forward (2003-05-08) 8 May 2003 (age 21) Nippon Sport Science University
Sachiko Kato Forward (2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 (age 24) Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Wako Kitano Forward (2000-09-08) 8 September 2000 (age 23) MIE Pearls
Haruna Kojima Forward (2001-03-05) 5 March 2001 (age 23) Yokohama TKM
Sakurako Korai Forward (2003-04-09) 9 April 2003 (age 21) Nippon Sport Science University
Asuka Kuge Forward (2000-11-28) 28 November 2000 (age 23) Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Miharu Machida Forward (2004-05-26) 26 May 2004 (age 20) Japan University of Economics
Manami Mine Forward (2003-09-11) 11 September 2003 (age 20) Nippon Sport Science University
Ayano Nagai Forward (1997-10-14) 14 October 1997 (age 26) Yokohama TKM
Iroha Nagata Forward (1998-12-21) 21 December 1998 (age 25) Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Nijiho Nagata Forward (2000-12-06) 6 December 2000 (age 23) MIE Pearls
Mio Nishimura Forward (2002-11-29) 29 November 2002 (age 21) Nippon Sport Science University
Yuna Sato Forward (1998-09-11) 11 September 1998 (age 25) Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Kotomi Taniguchi Forward (1995-04-10) 10 April 1995 (age 29) Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Otoka Yoshimura Forward (2001-05-15) 15 May 2001 (age 23) Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Megumi Abe Back (1998-04-28) 28 April 1998 (age 26) Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Nao Ando Back (2001-07-17) 17 July 2001 (age 22) Brave Louve
Mana Furuta Back (1997-11-16) 16 November 1997 (age 26) Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Haruka Hirotsu Back (2000-10-29) 29 October 2000 (age 23) Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
Komachi Imakugi Back (2002-01-06) 6 January 2002 (age 22) Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Mele Yua Havili Kagawa Back (2001-09-29) 29 September 2001 (age 22) Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
Sora Nishimura Back (2000-09-29) 29 September 2000 (age 23) MIE Pearls
Ayasa Otsuka Back (1999-05-05) 5 May 1999 (age 25) RKU Rugby Ryugasaki Grace
Anan Seo Back (2001-07-16) 16 July 2001 (age 22) Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Moe Tsukui Back (2000-03-28) 28 March 2000 (age 24) Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Kotono Yasuo Back (2001-10-02) 2 October 2001 (age 22) Brave Louve

Previous Squads[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b JRFU (April 8, 2004). "女子ラグビー15年の歴史 - 海外遠征と外国チーム招聘の記録｜日本ラグビーフットボール協会｜RUGBY：FOR ALL「ノーサイドの精神」を、日本へ、世界へ。" [15 years of Women rugby football - Visiting overseas and hosting international games | Japan Rugby Football Union | Rugby football : For All; propagate the spirit of "no sides" to Japan and to the World.]. www.rugby-japan.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  2. ^ "Japan and Hong Kong qualify for Women's World Cup". Asia Rugby. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  3. ^ "Japan's women crowned Asian champions for first time". World Rugby.org. 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Qualify for Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  5. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Set to Take on Wales". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  6. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Confirmed to Play Ireland on European Tour". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  7. ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Scotland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  8. ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Ireland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  9. ^ Sands, Katie (2021-11-08). "Wales beat Japan 23-5 in autumn opener as Joyce scores two tries". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  10. ^ "Scotland Women 36 Japan Women 12". Scottish Rugby Union. 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  11. ^ Doggett, Eamon (2021-11-20). "Ireland v Japan score recap: Ireland did deep with 14 players to pull off win". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  12. ^ "Japan women finish tour of Australia unbeaten". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  13. ^ "Women's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Sakura Fifteen's 26-member squad". Asia Rugby. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "Japan Squad Announced for Asia Rugby Women's Championship 2024". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[edit]

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