Nickname(s) | Cherry Blossom 15 (桜十五 (kanji), さくらフィフティーン (kana), Sakura fifutīn) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Union | Japan Rugby Football Union | ||
Head coach | Lesley McKenzie | ||
Captain | Saki Minami | ||
| |||
World Rugby ranking | |||
Current | 11 (as of 4 September 2023) | ||
Highest | 10 (2023) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Aberavon, Wales; 6 April 1991) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Almaty, Kazakhstan; 4 September 2013) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Melrose, Scotland; 15 April 1994) | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 5 (First in 1991) | ||
Best result | 8th (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.
History※
Japan made their international debut at the 1991 Women's Rugby World Cup. Since then, Japan has appeared at three other editions of the World Cup in 1994, 2002 and 2017. The team has won the Asia Rugby Women's Championship in 2015, 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."
In November 2021, "Japan toured Europe." And played test matches against Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Wales defeated Japan 23–5, "the Sakura's scoring their only try in the 77th minute with a missed conversion." Scotland ran in six tries——to give the Sakura's their second loss 36–12, at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh. Ireland down to 14 players pulled off an unlikely win to beat Japan 15–12.
Japan toured Australia in 2022, they played and won matches against Australia, the Australian Barbarians. And Fiji.
Records※
Overall※
Rank | Change* | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
![]() |
096.90 |
2 | ![]() |
![]() |
089.13 |
3 | ![]() |
![]() |
088.96 |
4 | ![]() |
![]() |
087.27 |
5 | ![]() |
![]() |
078.36 |
6 | ![]() |
![]() |
075.99 |
7 | ![]() |
![]() |
074.57 |
8 | ![]() |
![]() |
074.28 |
9 | ![]() |
![]() |
074.26 |
10 | ![]() |
![]() |
073.53 |
11 | ![]() |
![]() |
069.98 |
12 | ![]() |
![]() |
065.17 |
13 | ![]() |
![]() |
065.15 |
14 | ![]() |
![]() |
061.19 |
15 | ![]() |
![]() |
061.10 |
16 | ![]() |
![]() |
058.98 |
17 | ![]() |
![]() |
058.76 |
18 | ![]() |
![]() |
058.48 |
19 | ![]() |
![]() |
055.23 |
20 | ![]() |
![]() |
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
Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
2017 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25% |
![]() |
1994 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
![]() |
2016 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
![]() |
1991 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00% |
![]() |
1998 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 94.11% |
![]() |
1994 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 28.57% |
![]() |
2002 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.00% |
![]() |
2005 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 22.22% |
![]() |
2002 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
![]() |
2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% |
![]() |
2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
![]() |
2019 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
![]() |
2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
![]() |
2022 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
![]() |
1991 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 33.33% |
![]() |
1991 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% |
![]() |
1994 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
![]() |
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 |
![]() |
Plate quarter-finals | 12th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 112 |
![]() |
Shield 3rd play-off | 8th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 293 |
![]() |
Did not enter | |||||||
![]() |
13th place play-off | 14th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 58 | 95 |
![]() |
Did not qualify | |||||||
![]() | ||||||||
![]() | ||||||||
![]() |
11th place play-off | 11th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 87 | 152 |
![]() |
Pool stage | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 92 |
Total | 5/9 | 8th | 20 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 188 | 744 |
Players※
Recent Squad※
Japan named their 26-player squad for the 2024 Asia Rugby Women's Championship.
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※
See also※
References※
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Japan and Hong Kong qualify for Women's World Cup". Asia Rugby. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Japan's women crowned Asian champions for first time". World Rugby.org. 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Sakura Fifteen Qualify for Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Sakura Fifteen Set to Take on Wales". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Sakura Fifteen Confirmed to Play Ireland on European Tour". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Scotland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Japan Team Announced to Take on Ireland". Japan Rugby Football Union. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ Sands, Katie (2021-11-08). "Wales beat Japan 23-5 in autumn opener as Joyce scores two tries". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
- ^ "Scotland Women 36 Japan Women 12". Scottish Rugby Union. 2021-11-14. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Japan women finish tour of Australia unbeaten". www.rugbyworldcup.com. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
- ^ "Women's World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "Sakura Fifteen's 26-member squad". Asia Rugby. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
- ^ "Japan Squad Announced for Asia Rugby Women's Championship 2024". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
External links※
- Japan RFU Official English page
- Japan Times Articles by, Rich Freeman - Japan Times rugby correspondent until 2005, then at the Daily Yomiuri
- Japan RFU - in Japanese
- Japanese rugby union news from Planet Rugby Archived 2005-10-31 at the Wayback Machine