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

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

Overall

Women's
World Rugby Rankings
Top 20 rankings as of 25 December 2023[13]
RankChange*TeamPoints
1 Steady England096.18
2 Steady New Zealand090.56
3 Steady France087.89
4 Steady Canada086.27
5 Steady Australia081.61
6 Steady Wales076.67
7 Steady Italy075.61
8 Steady Scotland074.37
9 Steady United States072.02
10 Steady Ireland071.52
11 Steady Japan069.38
12 Steady Spain064.89
13 Steady South Africa064.37
14 Steady Russia061.10
15 Steady Netherlands060.02
16 Steady Samoa059.57
17 Steady Fiji058.65
18 Steady Hong Kong058.31
19 Steady Sweden056.01
20 Steady Kazakhstan055.97
*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

Rugby World Cup
Year Round Position GP W D L PF PA
Wales 1991Plate quarter-finals12th 30030112
Scotland 1994Shield 3rd play-off8th 510413293
Netherlands 1998Did not enter
Spain 200213th place play-off14th 42025895
Canada 2006Did not qualify
England 2010
France 2014
Ireland 201711th place play-off11th 510487152
New Zealand 2021Pool stage — 3 0 0 3 30 92
Total 5/98th204016188744

Players

Recent Squad

Japan named their 30-player squad for the inaugural WXV 2 tournament in Cape Town between 13 – 28 October.[14][15]

Player Position Date of Birth Caps Club/Province
Hinata Komaki Hooker 28 December 2000 11 Nippon Sport Science University
Asuka Kuge Hooker 28 November 2000 5 Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Manami Mine Hooker 14 August 1997 1 Nippon Sport Science University
Nijiho Nagata Hooker 6 December 2000 13 International Budo University
Kotomi Taniguchi Hooker 12 June 1999 10 Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Natsuki Kashiwagi Prop 4 April 2001 new cap Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Sachiko Kato Prop 19 February 2000 19 Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Yuka Sadaka Prop 13 March 1996 17 Hirosaki Sakura Ovals
Masami Kawamura Lock 28 November 1999 8 RKU Rugby Ryugasaki Grace
Jennifer Nduka Lock 31 December 1992 2 Hokkaido Barbarians Diana
Otoka Yoshimura Lock 19 June 1998 12 Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Sakurako Korai Back Row 17 April 1999 6 Nippon Sport Science University
Ayano Nagai Back Row 14 October 1997 18 Yokohama TKM
Iroha Nagata Back Row 19 May 1997 24 Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Mio Nishimura Back Row 18 October 2000 3 Nippon Sport Science University
Seina Saito Back Row 14 October 1997 37 MIE Pearls
Mei Yoshimoto Back Row 28 November 1995 1 Otemon University
Sakurako Hatada Forward 29 January 1996 1 Nippon Sport Science University
Megumi Abe Scrumhalf 28 November 1998 17 Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Moe Tsukui Scrumhalf 28 March 2000 27 Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Ayasa Otsuka Fly-Half 23 March 2000 18 RKU Rugby Ryugasaki Grace
Minori Yamamoto Fly-Half 9 December 1996 25 Worcester Warriors
Kanako Kobayashi Centre 13 November 1998 9 Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Mana Furuta Centre 16 November 1997 22 Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Komachi Imakugi Wing 24 November 2002 17 Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Sora Nishimura Fullback 30 November 2002 5 MIE Pearls
Nao Ando Back 28 November 2002 3 Brave Louve
Haruka Hirotsu Back 29 October 2000 3 Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
Misaki Matsumura Back 11 December 2000 2 Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Kotono Yasuo Back 21 February 1998 6 Brave Louve

Previous Squads

See also

References

  1. 1 2 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 25 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for Inaugural WXV 2". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  15. ↑ "WXV 2: Anticipation builds for South Africa as squads named". www.world.rugby. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
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