Number Of Japan Tours Confirmed By Australian Rugby Clubs

With a number of agreements signed between clubs and the unions in Australia and New Zealand with Japan, both the Reds men and Western Force women have announced tours to Japan in 2024.

Western Force Super W – Japan Tour 2024

The Western Force women’s team will embark on a Japan tour in October and November 2024, with three fixtures confined as they prepare ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s (Super Rugby W) season.

The matches will be against Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix and the Mie Pearls.

The Force previously signed a partnership with Japanese National Women’s Rugby Championship champions Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix and the Japanese side toured Perth in the first half of 2024, whole front-rowers Natsuki Kashiwagi and Hinata Komaki joined the WA club on exchange and were part of the Western Force side that reached the finals for the first time.

The Western Force female high-performance pathway manager Claudia Bell said: “The overall purpose of this tour is to provide additional high-quality, competitive rugby games for the Western Force women’s Super W side and a meaningful opportunity to play in the Force jersey. This will commence their 2025 season preparation, giving the team and staff an opportunity to strengthen connections, whilst giving players an opportunity to tour overseas and experience playing against different styles of rugby.”

Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix general manager Yohei Shimomiya said: “Western force will have matches against not only Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, but also various teams in Japan during the tour, and I believe it will be a good boost for Japanese women’s rugby.”

Shimomiya recently has also take up the role as the Thailand Women’s 7s Head Coach.

Tour Schedule Western Force Japan 2024

• Game 1: Western Force v Pearls / Yokohama TKM, Saturday 19 October, Nagano (opposition will be split into 40-minute halves).
• Game 2: Western Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, Sunday 27 October, Fujiyoshida
• Game 3: Western Force v Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix / Yokogawa Musashino Artemi Stars, Saturday 2 November, Tokyo (opposition will be split into 40-minute halves).

Reds Tour Japan 2024

On the men’s side, the Reds will extend their relationship with the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights with a tour to Japan in late October-November 2024 which will include a full cap fixture against the Wild Knights in November, – they also played each other in 2022 and 2023.

In the previous games, the Australians were winners 55-30 at Kumagaya Stadium in 2022 and 31-29 at Ballymore Stadium in 2023.

More details for the 2024 will be announced.

Wallabies To Face Brave Blossoms in 2025?

After initial reports surfaced that the Wallabies and the Japanese national men’s team could face each other in 2024, these were denied but a match-up could be on the cards in 2025. This would be the first time Eddie Jones takes on his former side as the Brave Blossoms Head Coach.

Japanese Rugby News 2024

• JRFU Fixtures 2024 – Brave Blossoms, Japan XV, Sakura XV.
• NTT Japan Rugby League One 2024-25.
• Fumi Tanaka – Japanese Coaching Aspirations & His Views On The Development of Japanese Rugby
• Sakura Fifteen Will Host USA in Two-Test Series.