Japan Sakura XV vs South Africa WXV2 2024 Preview

The WXV2 2024 gets underway with the hosts South Africa taking on the Japan Sakura XV at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday 27th September 2024.

Feature Image – Hannah Jones of Wales, Elisa Giordano of Italy, Nolusindiso Booi of South Africa, Michaela Leonard of Australia, Rachel Malcolm of Scotland and Iroha Nagata of Japan during the Captain’s Photocall ahead of WXV 2 on September 24, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Johan Rynners – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

The other teams competing in South Africa are Australia, Italy, Scotland, and Wales with all the captains taking photos at the DHL Stadium with Table Mountain in the background ahead of Friday’s kick-off. The Japanese have played SA twice before, both matches in Japan in 2022 with the series drawn 1-1.

Hosts SA Look To Get Off To A Winning WXV2 Start

Photo Credit: World Rugby

In preparation for the WXV in South Africa, SA first appointed experienced Performance coach Swys de Bruin who led the side to wins over the Barbarians 59-17 and Spain 36-19 over the past couple of weeks. They come into the match on the back of five straight wins and they only have one loss this year vs the USA.

He has selected Ayanda Malinga for a first test since 2022 (left wing) for the Springbok Women’s opening match – the speedster has played for the Springbok Women’s Sevens squad, played at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town and HSBC SVNS in 2023/24.

De Bruin also named Micke Gunter, Anathi Qolo and Unam Tose on a bench featuring six forwards, with Tose and Zintle Mpupha the only backs among the replacements.

De Bruin said, “The mindset is around preparing for the Rugby World Cup next year, so these are all building blocks towards that. Having said that, we want to do really well in this tournament and improve our world ranking. All three of our opponents are ranked higher than we are, so it will be a nice challenge. For this game against Japan, we put certain plans in place, but the bottom line is that we need a result as well.”

SA have said they expect a fast-paced game from Japan, with De Bruin adding, “Japan play a fast game, they apply a lot of pressure defensively and chop your legs, so we need to overcome that. We will have to suffocate them and make sure we control the tempo and territory.”

Springbok Women assistant coach Franzel September had said mid-week that they have a lot of respect for Japan, especially their discipline and measured approach to the game while Ayanda Malinga said, “They are really committed and very capable at the breakdown and because of their size, can go really low. We will have to work hard in that area if we want dominance. They will be fit and disciplined no doubt, but we have our own strengths and plans for this match.”

Japan Sakura XV Lean On Experience

Sakura XV come into WXV2 having not won any of their past four matches, with 3 losses and a draw and will be trying to avoid going five tests without a win for the first time in their 33-year history as a test-playing nation.

Japan Head Coach Lesley McKenzie made four changes to her matchday 23 from the team that lost 24-8 to Italy, with 8 players coming into the side. These include Seina Saito, Japan’s most capped player, at number eight, while playmaker Ayasa Otsuka also returns to the starting flyhalf position.

Captain Iroha Nagata is the side’s top try scorer in 2024 (4) but she hasn’t scored in any of her last three appearances.

The Sakura XV squad averages 20 caps per player, thanks to the increased number of games the side has played since the last Rugby World Cup.

McKenzie said, “We’ve acclimatised well to South Africa and are looking forward to playing the home nation in the opening game of WXV. It’s not too big a secret how South Africa are going to approach the game. They’ve got very direct carriers and a very direct style of play. Half the game is going to be about negating that as best we can, while the other half, and slightly more we hope, is going to be our approach, in how we want to play the game according to our style and abilities.”

Maria Latos (Germany) is the match referee.

The fixtures and results for WXV2 can be seen here.

Match Permutations  –  Japan Sakura XV vs South Africa WXV 2 (September 2024)

• Japan is currently ranked 11th and SA is 12th
• South Africa will become the higher ranked of the two teams if they beat Japan, and will equal their all-time high of 11th.
• Japan is unable to improve on their ranking even if they win.

Japan Squad vs SA– WXV2 2024

You can read more about the WXV squad from JRFU.

South Africa Squad vs Japan – WXV2 2024

1. Sanelisiwe Charlie (Bulls Daisies) – 19 caps, 5 points (1 try)
2. Lindelwa Gwala (Ealing Trailfinders Women) – 33 caps, 70 points (14 tries)
3. Babalwa Latsha (Harlequins Women) – 30 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain, DHL Western Province) – 46 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
5. Vainah Ubisi (Bulls Daisies) – 15 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
6. Sizophila Solontsi (Bulls Daisies) – 22 caps, 40 points (8 tries)
7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa (DHL Western Province) – 32 caps, 45 points (9 tries)
8. Aseza Hele (Sanlam Boland Dames) – 22 caps, 45 points (9 tries)
9. Tayla Kinsey (Sharks Women) – 36 caps, 48 points (2 tries)
10. Nadine Roos (unattached) – 12 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
11. Ayanda Malinga (Bulls Daisies) – 8 Tests, 50 points (10 tries)
12. Chumisa Qawe (Bulls Daisies) – 16 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
13. Eloise Webb (Border Ladies) – 11 caps, 30 points (6 tries)
14. Jakkie Cilliers (Bulls Daisies) – 14 caps, 74 points (7 tries)
15. Libbie Janse van Rensburg (Bulls Daisies) – 23 caps, 204 points (11 tries)

Replacements

16. Micke Gunter (Bulls Daisies) – 8 caps
17. Yonela Ngxingolo (Bulls Daisies) – 29 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
18. Azisa Mkiva (DHL Western Province) – 10 caps
19. Danelle Lochner (Harlequins Women) – 13 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
20. Catha Jacobs (Leicester Tigers Women) – 16 caps, 5 points (1 try)
21. Anathi Qolo (Bulls Daisies) – 4 caps
22. Unam Tose (Bulls Daisies) – 20 Tests
23. Zintle Mpupha (Bulls Daisies) – 21 caps, 101 points (19 tries)

How To Watch WXV 2024

The WXV2 2024 will be available to watch on RugbyPass TV or your local broadcaster which be found on the fixtures page of the WXV website.

WXV Rugby News 2024

• Hong Kong China vs Fiji WXV3 2024 Preview.
• Hong Kong China Confirm WXV3 2024 Squad.
• Pools & Schedule Confirmed For WXV 2024.
• WXV 2024 Details Confirmed – WXV 3 Heads Back To Dubai.