The Japan Sakura XV play Wales on Friday, October 11th 2024 at Athlone Sports Stadium in Cape Town in their final WXV2 2024 match, with both still chasing their first win of the tournament.
The Japanese are currently 5th out of six teams in South Africa, and only just above the Welsh. Although we know there will be changes to the WXV post-RWC 2025, if regions still need to secure their divisional status, it would be important for Japan to beat Wales to end their losing streak to ensure Asia still has a place in WXV2 in 2026.
The two sides have only played each other once before and the Welsh were victorious in 2021. In WXV2 2024 neither side has registered a win. Both sides haven’t got great win records this year, with Wales having lost seven of their 10 tests this year, and Sakura XV have not won any of their last 6 tests – their worst-ever winless streak.
The European side has struggled at scrum time and had poorer second halves in WXV2, while the Japanese have maintained a 100% record at scrum time, the only team to do so across the first two rounds. They also conceded the fewest penalties in round two so will hope to continue the good discipline on Friday in Cape Town.
Interestingly, Seina Saito (who is Japan’s most capped player), is a joint-leading try scorer in South Africa with three tries thus far. Other stats that are in their favour are that Lesley McKenzie’s side has won more turnovers (21) and tackles (199 per match) than any other team in WXV2 but now they need to convert that into a result.
Wales Head Coach Ioan Cunningham has made three changes to the Wales starting line-up; Sisilia Tuipulotu comes into the front row for her first start of the tournament, Abbie Fleming and Kayleigh Powell both also start. Regular flyhalf Lleucu George has been ruled out through injury, and this will be the first time that Powell starts there since her test debut (her 11 previous starts have all been at full-back).
For Japan, Head Coach McKenzie has made two changes, with hooker Kotomi Taniguchi starting and Misaki Matsumura selected on the right wing.
Ella Goldsmith (Australia) will referee the WXV 2 match.
The fixtures and results for WXV2 can be seen here.
Match Permutations – Japan Sakura XV vs Wales WXV 2 (October 2024)
- Japan are ranked 11th and Wales 10th.
- If both Japan and South Africa beat higher-ranked opponents then the Springbok Women can return to 11th (if they win by more than 15 points) and the Sakura Fifteens beat Wales by a smaller margin.
- Both Japan and South Africa will slip no lower than 12th as Spain cannot catch them if they beat Fiji in WXV 3.
- If Japan wins, they won’t quite reach the top ten.
Japan Squad vs Wales – WXV2 2024
15. Sora Nishimura, 14. Misaki Matsumura, 13. Mana Furuta, 12. Haruka Hirotsu, 11. Komachi Imakugi, 10. Ayasa Otsuka, 9. Moe Tsukui, 1. Sachiko Kato, 2. Kotomi Taniguchi, 3. Wako Kitano, 4. Yuna Sato, 5. Otoka Yoshimura, 6. Masami Kawamura, 7. Iroha Nagata (captain), 8. Seina Sato.
Reserves: 16. Asuka Kuge, 17. Manami Mine, 18. Nijiho Nagata, 19. Kyoko Hosokawa, 20. Jennifer Nduka, 21. Megumi Abe, 22. Minori Yamamoto, 23. Kanako Kobayashi.
Wales Squad vs Japan – WXV2 2024
15. Jasmine Joyce, 14. Carys Cox, 13. Hannah Jones (captain), 12. Hannah Bluck, 11. Nel Metcalfe, 10. Kayleigh Powell, 9. Keira Bevan, 1. Gwenllian Pyrs, 2. Carys Phillips, 3. Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4. Natalia John, 5. Abbie Fleming, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Allex Callender, 8. Bethan Lewis.
Reserves: 16. Molly Reardon, 17. Maisie Davies, 18. Donna Rose, 19. Georgia Evans, 20. Kate Williams, 21. Sian Jones, 22. Robyn Wilkins, 23. Courtney Keight.
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
- What To Know – Final Round of WXV 2024.
- Hong Kong China vs the Netherlands WXV3 2024 Preview.
- Japan Sakura XV vs Scotland WXV2 2024 Preview
- Japan Sakura XV vs South Africa WXV2 2024 Preview.
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