Japan women's national rugby union team

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
Shirt badge/Association crest
NicknamesCherry 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  
(Aberavon, Wales; 6 April 1991)
Biggest win
  90–0 Kazakhstan 
(Fukuoka, Japan; 15 May 2025)
Biggest defeat
  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 played their first test match at the inaugural 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup in Wales.[1] They have competed in five Rugby World Cups since then and have won seven Asia Rugby Women's Championship titles.

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]

In May 2025, the Sakura's had their biggest win when they trounced Kazakhstan 90–0 in the opening match of the Asia Rugby Women's Championship in Fukuoka; they ran in 14 unanswered tries.[13][14] They eventually won the tournament, making it their seventh Championship title.[15][16]

Records

Overall

See also: List of Japan women's national rugby union team matches
Women's
World Rugby Rankings
Top 20 rankings as of 18 August 2025[17]
Rank Change* Team Points
1 Steady  England 97.76
2 Steady  Canada 90.13
3 Steady  New Zealand 88.74
4 Steady  France 85.72
5 Steady  Ireland 78.81
6 Steady  Australia 76.31
7 Steady  Italy 76.06
8 Steady  Scotland 75.33
9 Steady  Wales 72.18
10 Steady  United States 72.05
11 Steady   68.83
12 Steady  South Africa 68.04
13 Steady  Spain 63.31
14 Steady  Fiji 59.98
15 Steady  Samoa 59.72
16 Steady  Hong Kong 57.56
17 Steady  Netherlands 57.42
18 Steady  Russia 55.10
19 Steady  Kazakhstan 53.88
20 Steady  Kenya 50.68
*Change from the previous week

(Full internationals only) Correct as 19 June 2025.

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 6 5 0 1 83.33%
 France 1991 3 0 0 3 0.00%
 Hong Kong 1998 19 18 0 1 94.44%
 Ireland 1994 7 2 0 5 28.57%
 Italy 2002 7 1 1 5 14.29%
 Kazakhstan 2005 11 4 0 7 36.36%
 Netherlands 2002 2 1 0 1 50%
 New Zealand 2022 1 0 0 1 0.00%
 Samoa 2000 2 2 0 0 100%
 Scotland 2019 4 1 0 3 25%
 Singapore 2007 4 4 0 0 100%
 South Africa 2022 3 2 0 1 66.67%
 Spain 1991 4 2 0 2 50%
 Sweden 1991 2 1 0 1 50%
 United States 1994 5 1 1 3 20%
 Wales 2017 3 1 0 2 33.33%
Summary 1991 89 46 2 41 51.69%

Rugby World Cup

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
England 2025 Qualified
Australia 2029 TBD
United States 2033
Total 5/9 8th 20 4 0 16 188 744
  Champion   Runner-up   Third place   Fourth place
* Tied placing † Best placing Home venue

Players

Recent squad

On 28 July, Japan announced their final squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.[18][19]

Note: The age and number of caps listed for each player is as of 22 August 2025, the first day of the tournament.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Ayumu Kokaji Hooker (2000-02-19)19 February 2000 (aged 25) 11 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Asuka Kuge Hooker (1994-09-22)22 September 1994 (aged 30) 22 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Kotomi Taniguchi Hooker (1995-04-10)10 April 1995 (aged 30) 26 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Sachiko Kato Prop (2000-02-19)19 February 2000 (aged 25) 30 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Wako Kitano Prop (1999-09-08)8 September 1999 (aged 25) 22 Japan Mie Pearls
Hinata Komaki Prop (2001-05-09)9 May 2001 (aged 24) 21 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Miharu Machida Prop (2004-05-26)26 May 2004 (aged 21) 4 Japan Japan University of Economics
Manami Mine Prop (2003-09-11)11 September 2003 (aged 21) 12 Japan Nippon Sport Science University
Nijiho Nagata Prop (2000-12-06)6 December 2000 (aged 24) 29 Japan Mie Pearls
Ayano Sakurai Second row (1996-04-15)15 April 1996 (aged 29) 23 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Yuna Sato Second row (1998-09-11)11 September 1998 (aged 26) 24 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Otoka Yoshimura Second row (2001-05-15)15 May 2001 (aged 24) 29 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Kyoko Hosokawa Back row (1999-07-08)8 July 1999 (aged 26) 17 Japan Mie Pearls
Masami Kawamura Back row (1999-07-13)13 July 1999 (aged 26) 22 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Sakurako Korai Back row (2003-04-09)9 April 2003 (aged 22) 22 Japan Nippon Sport Science University
Iroha Nagata Back row (1998-12-21)21 December 1998 (aged 26) 40 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Jennifer Nduka Back row (2000-10-18)18 October 2000 (aged 24) 15 Japan Hokkaido Barbarians Diana
Seina Saito Back row (1992-05-30)30 May 1992 (aged 33) 50 Japan Mie Pearls
Megumi Abe Scrum-half (1998-04-28)28 April 1998 (aged 27) 32 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Moe Tsukui Scrum-half (2000-03-28)28 March 2000 (aged 25) 42 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Ayasa Otsuka Fly-half (1999-05-05)5 May 1999 (aged 26) 36 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Minori Yamamoto Fly-half (1996-12-09)9 December 1996 (aged 28) 38 Japan Yokohama TKM
Nao Ando Centre (2001-07-17)17 July 2001 (aged 24) 12 Japan Brave Louve
Mana Furuta Centre (1997-11-16)16 November 1997 (aged 27) 36 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Sakurako Hatada Centre (2003-05-08)8 May 2003 (aged 22) 9 Japan Nippon Sport Science University
Haruka Hirotsu Centre (2000-10-29)29 October 2000 (aged 24) 17 Japan Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
Kanako Kobayashi Centre (1998-11-13)13 November 1998 (aged 26) 20 Japan Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars
Komachi Imakugi Wing (2002-01-06)6 January 2002 (aged 23) 30 Japan Arukas Queen Kumagaya
Mele Yua Havili Kagawa Wing (2001-09-29)29 September 2001 (aged 23) 5 Japan Nanairo Prism Fukuoka
Misaki Matsumura Wing (2005-03-06)6 March 2005 (aged 20) 13 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Rinka Matsuda Fullback (2001-12-05)5 December 2001 (aged 23) 14 Japan Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix
Sora Nishimura Fullback (2000-09-29)29 September 2000 (aged 24) 21 Japan Mie Pearls

World Cup squads

See also

References

  1. ^ a b JRFU (8 April 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 27 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Japan and Hong Kong qualify for Women's World Cup". Asia Rugby. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  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. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Set to Take on Wales". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Confirmed to Play Ireland on European Tour". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Scotland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Ireland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  9. ^ Sands, Katie (8 November 2021). "Wales beat Japan 23-5 in autumn opener as Joyce scores two tries". WalesOnline. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Scotland Women 36 Japan Women 12". Scottish Rugby Union. 14 November 2021. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  11. ^ Doggett, Eamon (20 November 2021). "Ireland v Japan score recap: Ireland did deep with 14 players to pull off win". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Japan women finish tour of Australia unbeaten". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Japan Sakura XVs Thrash Kazakhstan in Asia Rugby Women's Championship 2025 Opener". RugbyAsia247. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  14. ^ Maltsev, Vladimir (21 May 2025). "Kazakhstan women's rugby team secures top-three finish in Asia". Kursiv Media Kazakhstan. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  15. ^ "MATCH REPORT – HONG KONG CHINA 5-63 JAPAN". www.hkrugby.com. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  16. ^ "2025 Asia Rugby Emirates Women's Championship". Asia Rugby. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Women's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Japan announce squad for women's RWC 2025". Rugby World Cup. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Sakura Fifteen Rugby World Cup Squad Announced". Japan Rugby Football Union. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
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