Match Officials & Squads For Japan Sakura XV Tour To Fiji In June 2024 Confirmed

The match officials and squads for the upcoming Women’s Internationals 2024 have been confirmed by World Rugby, including the two-match series of the Japan Sakura XV heading to Fiji in June which is the first time they will face each other in Fiji.

Updated 20 June 2024

Fijiana vs Sakura XV – 2024

Japan Sakura won the ARWC 2024 and has also qualified for RWC 2025 and WXV2 this year and start their preparations for the the WXV by touring Fiji for this two-match series. Japan Sakura XV have faced Fijiana four times and have yet to lose to the Pacific islanders. In winning the ARWC, Japan beat Hong Kong China 29-12 and Kazakhstan 64-0.

Fiji Rugby Union general manager of operations and development Sale Sorovaki said playing against Japan would help with the development of the side as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup 2025, “I don’t think we’ve beaten Japan who are currently ranked 11th in the world, so this will be good for the Fijiana side.

This is Fiji’s first match on home soil since they lost 24-7 to Canada at this venue in a warm-up match in September 2022 ahead of their Women’s Rugby World Cup debut in New Zealand.

It’s expected that a bulk of the Fijiana team will be drawn from the Fijiana Drua team that were runners-up in the 2024 Super W competition in Australia.

Fijiana successfully qualified for the RWC 2025 in England after winning the 2024 Oceania Women’s Rugby Championship in Brisbane, Australia and will also appear in WXV 3 alongside the Netherlands, Madagascar, Samoa and Hong Kong China with one more TBC. Fijiana beat Tonga 48-3, Papua New Guinea 85-6 and Samoa 27-13 to claim the title.

World Rugby Rankings

• Japan #11
• Fiji #15

Tyler Miller (Australia) and Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) will referee the Fiji vs Japan matches in Suva on 14 June and Lautoka on 20 June respectively.

Fiji toured Japan for the first time in September 2023, with the Japanese winning both matches. The Japanese have just won the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship 2024 in Hong Kong and have qualified for the WXV2 in South Africa as well as the Rugby World Cup 2025.

World Rugby High Performance Women’s Referee Manager Alhambra Nievas said: “These test matches are important for the match official team as look to continue building momentum from the Guinness Women’s Six Nations and Pacific Four Series going as part of our preparations on the road to WXV and, ultimately, Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.”

Fiji v Japan Sakura XV Women’s Test Series 2024 –  Match Officials & Squads

First Test – Friday, 14 June, 2024 

• HFC Bank Stadium, Suva
• Referee: Tyler Miller (RA)
• Assistant Referee 1: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
• Assistant Referee 2: Jess Ling (RA)
• TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)
• Kick-Off: 6PM (local time)

Match #1 Permutations

• Fiji will climb to a new high of 14th if they beat Japan for the first time.
• Japan cannot fall from 11th place no matter the result and also can not improve its position with a victory.

Match Result: Japan 24-15 Fiji

Fijiana Squad vs Japan

Vodafone Fijiana XV Head Coach Mosese Rauluni announced his matchday squad for the first test in which Aviame Veidreyaki is expected to make her debut off the bench and centre Merewai Cumu captains the side at home.

Image Credit: Fiji Rugby Union

Japan Sakura XV squad vs Fiji

Japan Head Coach Lesley McKenzie has picked a side which averages 17 tests per player. Oddly, the JRFU announcement seems to ignore the recent ARWC and has called this their first test of the year.

Japan has named a starting line-up with four personnel changes to that which beat Kazakhstan. Iroha Nagata will again captain the team in what will be her 30th test cap, while she is surrounded by the experienced Seina Saito (earning her 40th cap and returning to the squad after missing the ARWC), number-eight and Sachiko Kato (who will earn her 25^th cap).

Nao Ando will earn her first test start on the left wing with her previous seven tests all off the bench.

Second Test Fijiana vs Sakura XV – Thursday, 20 June, 2024 

Fijiana hopes to tie up the series in the final match and the hosts confirmed that there is free entry for fans wanting to attend the Vodafone Fijiana XV vs Sakura 15’s Test Match in Lautoka at Churchill Park.

Two significant inclusions have been made in the Fijiana squad, with the return of forward Ema Adivitaloga and the debut of Josivini Tuikilakila.

The Sakura XV won the opening test 24-15 to maintain their undefeated record against the Pacific Islanders.

• Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 1: Tiana Anderson (NZR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Chloe Sampson (NZR)
• TMO: Aaron Paterson (NZR)
• Kick-Off: 6PM (local time)

Match #2 Permutations

• Fiji will climb to a new high of 14th if they beat Japan for the first time and there will be no change if they lose.
• Japan cannot fall from 11th place in defeat and the Sakura 15s are unable to improve on their current position if they win.

Match Result: Japan 15-24 Fiji

Fijiana Squad vs Japan

Image Credit: Fiji Rugby Union

Japan Sakura XV Tour Squad vs Fiji – 2024

One new player comes into the matchday 23, and Head Coach McKenzie made a number of changes to the starting 15, and several positional changes. The bench has a 6:2 forwards-to-backs split on the bench.

Japan vs Fiji Past Results

• 16 September 2023 Tokyo – Japan 41-36 Fiji
• 10 September 2023 Fukuoka – Japan  29-24 Fiji
• 1 May 2022 Gold Coast – Japan 28-14 Fiji
• 13 December 2016 Hong Kong – Japan 55-0 Fiji

Sakura XV Squad – Fiji Tour 2024

JRFU announced the touring squad for Japan to Fiji here.

Image Credit: JRFU

How To Watch The Sakura XV vs Fiji Women’s Tests 2024

JRFU announced that the matches will be available to watch online on this link.

World Rugby Match Official News

World Rugby confirmed that Amy Perrett has been appointed Women’s Match Officials Development Coach from 1 July 2024. The Australian joins Nievas and new Elite Women’s 15s Match Officials Head Coach Joy Neville in the new management structure.

Perrett refereed 16 tests during her career, including the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 final between England and Canada in France, and took charge of the first-ever Olympic rugby sevens match at Rio 2016.

You can see more on the match officials appointed for the upcoming Women’s Internationals 2024 here.

Asian International Rugby News 2024

• Asia Rugby Women’s Championship 2024 – What To Know.
• Fans Guide To Asia Rugby Men’s Championship 2024.
• Sunny Lee – A New Generation Of Rugby Match Official.
• WXV 2024 Details Confirmed.