Sakura 15s Add USA Test Match to 2025 Schedule

As part of USA Rugby and World Rugby announcing the programme of matches in 2025 – it eas confirmed that the Japan Sakura 15s will play the USA women’s Eagles prepare in Los Angeles as both sides prepare for the Rugby World Cup England 2025.

Feature photo – Japan vs USA 2024 (JRFU)

The USA tour will see the Japanese national women’s 15s side travel to the United States from April 12-27 with only one test match confirmed on Saturday, April 26th due to be played at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles. The fixture will be a double-header with Major League Rugby’s RFC LA vs San Diego Legion.

The two sides met 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 – but Japan certainly had their opportunities in both matches and could have won both encounters. The Sakura have never beaten the USA (they have played four times) and the two sides are 11th and 9th in the World Rugby rankings respectively.

Image Credit – JRFU

Sakura Fifteens Head Coach, Lesley McKenzie said, “These two opportunities, including the training match ahead of the test match, will be a very good test for us. Since travelling to play us here in Japan last summer, they had strong performances in WXV 1 against England, France and Ireland.  They have also added some genuine stars from their sevens program to their fifteens roster.

I anticipate a really good couple of games from them, and again – the challenge is paramount.  We didn’t perform at our best last year when we hosted them in Japan.  We know what we are looking for from our own game, and we’ll keep those things to ourselves.  The test in Los Angeles will be a real examination for us, and at an essential level of challenge in a World Cup year,” added the Japanese Sakura 15s Head Coach.

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)

USA Rugby 2025 Home Series

USA Rugby and World Rugby have partnered with TEG Sport to host a series of international rugby matches across four cities in 2025.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said, “The U.S. is a rapidly growing rugby market with strong commercial and hosting interest ahead of Rugby World Cup hosting. This test series reflects our ambition to build a sustainable competition calendar that enhances performance, attracts new audiences, and fuels rugby’s growth.”

USA Rugby CEO Bill Goren added, “This marks a special year for USA Rugby with the initial announcement of our home events series. We’re thrilled to bring the Men’s and Women’s Eagles to fans coast-to-coast, in the largest slate of home matches since 2019. With Rugby World Cup stakes on the line for both teams, rugby fans can expect the very best rugby in stadiums this year.”

As many as 12 international matches will be played on American soil with the USA Women’s Eagles setting their sights on the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, while the Men’s Eagles try and confirm their qualification for the Australia 2027 RWC at the Pacific Nations Cup played later in 2025.

• 26 April – USA Women v Japan – Wallis Annenberg Stadium, UCLA, Los Angeles (a double header with the Major League Rugby match RFCLA v San Diego Legion)
• 2 May – USA Women v Canada (Pacific Four Series – CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
• 5 July – USA Men v Netherlands – American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
• 12 July – USA Men v Spain – American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
• 19 July – Double Header: USA Men v England and USA Women v Fiji – Audi Field, Washington DC

The Pacific Nations Cup hosting details will be announced in April 2025. Tickets for other tests will go on sale on 28 March at usa.rugby/tickets with pre-sales begin on 27 March 2025.

Sakura 15s Rugby News 2025

• Japan Sakura Fifteens and Brave Blossoms 2025 Domestic Fixtures Announced.
• First Sakura Fifteen 2025 Training Squad Announced – 2025 Tours And Tests Lined Up.
• Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025 Pools Confirmed – Japan in Pool C.
• Asia Rugby Releases Partial 2025 15s Rugby International Fixtures Calendar.