Japan Sakura 15s vs USA Preview – April 2025

rugbyasia247 Posted On April 25, 2025

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Japan Sakura 15s vs USA Preview - April 2025

Japan Sakura 15s play the USA on Saturday, 26th April at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles, with the fixture being a double-header with Major League Rugby’s RFC LA vs San Diego Legion. The Japanese have yet to beat the USA Women in a test match – read more below in our Japan Sakura 15s vs USA Preview.

The two sides met most recently in Japan in 2024 in a closely contested series, which saw the first test drawn and the USA winning the second test to claim the series. The Sakura have never beaten the USA (they have played four times), and the two sides are 12th and 9th in the World Rugby rankings, respectively. This will be the first time they play a test on US soil.

The USA Head Coach Sione Fukofukahave has selected two debutantes for the match, Erica Coulibaly and Kapoina Bailey. Prop Hope Rogers will earn her 51st test cap, tying Hall of Famer Jamie Burke for the most appearances in Women’s Eagles history. Kate Zackary returns as captain in 2025 for her seventh year.

Fukofuka said Via USA Rugby, “The team is excited and confident after two weeks together as an extended squad, in preparation for the Japan test; the first phase of our Rugby World Cup year. The players have put in a huge amount of work before camp and arrived physically well prepared to implement our game model and launch into our World Cup year with a positive performance.”

Of the Japanese, the USA Head Coach added, “Japan are a very technical team, who work hard, have great speed in their defence and will force you to be accurate in all facets of the game. They are a challenging team to play and the perfect opponent for us to demonstrate our increased physicality, set piece accuracy and technical efficiency in our defense and break down. All elements that will need to be world-class for the Rugby World Cup.”

For the Sakura 15s, this is the first of eight confirmed tests in 2025, and there is one debut this weekend with Nana Tarekado selected on the bench for the USA game, while Nagata Iroha carries on the captain’s role and will earn her 38th cap on the weekend. Lock Ayano Sakurai returns to the Sakura Fifteens squad for the first time since September 2023.

Japan Head Coach Lesley McKenzie has a 42% winning record (P33, W14, D2, L17) since she took over in 2019.

Aurélie Groizeleau (FFR) is the match referee.

Following this match, the USA take on Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the Pacific Four Series, while Japan will head home to defend their Asia Rugby Women’s Championship title against Kazakhstan and Hong Kong China.

Japan Sakura 15s vs USA Women’s Eagles Results

August 17, 2024 (L) 8-11 Fukuoka, Japan
August 11, 2024 (D) 17-17 Fukuoka, Japan
October 15, 2022 (L) 17-30 Whangarei, New Zealand (RWC)
April 15, 1994 (L) 0-121 Melrose, Scotland (RWC)

Match Permutations – USA vs Japan Women

The USA are unable to improve their rating if they do win. They could (up or down) depending on other results this weekend.
If Japan win, they could reclaim the 11th place (which they lost following South Africa’s win over Spain last weekend).