Sakura Fifteen Will Host USA in Two-Test Series – Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024

The Japan Rugby Football Union confirmed that the Sakura Fifteen will host the USA women for a two-test tour to Japan in August this year as part of the Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024.

Updated 8 August 2024 (USA team news, match officials and ticket info)

The JRFU said the tour will be the first time that Japan and the USA will play on either team’s home soil, with both previous encounters taking place at neutral venues during Rugby World Cups.

The Japanese women won the ARWC beating Hong Kong China and Kazakhstan and followed that up with a two-match drawn series in Fiji in June – it was the first time they had lost to the Pacific islanders in a test.

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Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024 –  Japan vs USA

Sakura Fifteens Head Coach, Lesley McKenzie

Japan, are 11th in World Rugby’s global rankings and has never beaten the USA who are ranked seventh in the world.

Sakura Fifteens Head Coach, Lesley McKenzie said of the tour, “We look forward to welcoming Sione Fukofuka and the USA Women’s Eagles to Japan for what will be an exciting two-test series. With the USA ranked seventh in the world and coming off the back of an impressive 32-25 win against last year’s form side the Wallaroos, these games offer another opportunity for the Sakura Fifteens to test ourselves against one of the top sides in the world.”

They have only played each other twice previously and the matches in August 2024 in Japan are played at a time when it is expected to be hot and humid during the peak of Japan’s summer.

USA Head Coach, Sione Fukofuka commented, “The opportunity to play Japan in Japan is one that the playing group and staff are very excited about. We are very appreciative of the work that has gone into organising this tour by USA Rugby, World Rugby and Japanese Rugby. After the positive result against Australia, qualifying for the World Cup and WXV1, we are hungry for a chance to get back out on the field and continue to build on the foundation that we have been able to set in place.”

• Game 1: Sunday, August 11, 2024 18:00 kick-off Venue: Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu (Fukuoka)
• Game 2: Saturday, August 17, 2024 18:00 kick-off Venue: Ogasayama Sports Park ECOPA Stadium (Shizuoka)

Ella Goldsmith will referee the first Japan v USA match in Kitakyushu with compatriot Jess Ling in charge of the second match in Shizuoka.

Ticketing information can be found here.

The fixtures coincide with the official US–Japan Tourism Year which runs from January 2024 to March 2025 with the aim of recovering and expanding mutual tourism exchanges following the impact of the pandemic. There will be promotions at the match venues.

Japan Sakura XV Preparation For WXV2 2024

The USA have qualified for WXV1 while Japan will compete in WXV2 later in 2024. As part of WXV, we have been told World Rugby will schedule at least two tests for every team competing in preparation for the tournaments which will get underway in Canada, South Africa and Dubai on Friday, 27 September.

McKenzie added, “These games will form an integral part of our preparation toward WXV2 and our wider preparation for the World Cup 2025.”

The Fijian tour saw the squad absent of some experienced and quality players and the head coach added; “What was always going to be a tough tour has been made all the more challenging. However, in such challenges lie opportunities and this has been the case, offering us a great chance to blood new talent, look at new combinations and build on the experience of some of our younger players.”

Sakura XV Forwards Coach Mark Bakewell was complimented by the Canadian former international saying the pack attained another level. The team also welcomed some backs from their sevens programme.

Further details, including kick-off times, ticketing and broadcast information will be announced in due course for the Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024.

How To Watch Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024

USA Rugby confirmed in the week leading up to the first test that the series will be available on RugbyPassTV.

USA Squad Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024

The USA Women’s Eagles named their travelling squad of 30 for a two-match Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2024 tour to Japan which forms part of their WXV preparations in Canada starting in late September.

Four players could make their senior international debuts on the tour; Emerson Allen, Sophie Lamphier, Sophie Pyrz, and USA Sevens outside back Sariah Ibarra. Ibarra previously represented New Zealand’s u18 7s size before joining the Eagles.

The regular captain Kate Zackary as well as vice-captain Rachel Johnson both miss the tour due to injury whole prop Hope Rogers is also unavailable.

Tess Feury, who plays fullback for Leicester in the UK will captain the USA in Japan –  13 in the USA squad are with English Premiership clubs!

Props
Catie Benson (Sale Sharks, UK) 43 caps
Charli Jacoby (Exeter Chiefs, UK) 28 caps
Maya Learned (Colorado Gray Wolves) 11 caps
Alivia Leatherman (Life West) 3 caps
Mae Sagapolu (Leicester Tigers, UK) 9 caps

Hooker
Saher Hamdan (Colorado Gray Wolves) 4 caps
Paige Stathopoulos (Beantown) 8 caps
Kathryn Treder (Loughborough Lightning, UK) 20 caps

Locks
Emerson Allen (Life West) uncapped
Erica Jarrell (Sale Sharks, UK) 9 caps
Jenny Kronish (Beantown) 15 caps
Hallie Taufo’ou (Loughborough Lightning, UK) 17 caps

Loose Forwards
Tahlia Brody (Leicester Tigers, UK) 10 caps
Rachel Ehrecke (Colorado Gray Wolves) 13 caps
Sophie Lamphier (Berkeley All Blues) uncapped
Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood) 8 caps

Scrumhalf
Olivia Ortiz (Sale Sharks, UK) 20 caps
Sophie Pyrz (Life West) uncapped
Taina Tukuafu (Berkeley All Blues) 9 caps

Flyhalf
Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK) 25 caps
McKenzie Hawkins (Colorado Gray Wolves) 15 caps

Centres
Joanne Fa’avesi (Life West) 6 caps
Emily Henrich (Leicester Tigers, UK) 16 caps
Mata Hingano (Life West) 2 caps
Katana Howard (Sale Sharks, UK) 20 caps

Outside Backs
Autumn Czaplicki (Life West) 5 caps
Tess Feury (capt., Leicester Tigers, UK) 26 caps
Summer Harris-Jones (USA Sevens) 3 caps
Sariah Ibarra (USA Sevens) uncapped
Bulou Mataitoga (Loughborough Lightning, UK) 17 caps

Japanese International Rugby 2024

• Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Rugby Sevens Pools.
• 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy.
• WXV 2024 Details Confirmed – WXV 3 Heads Back To Dubai.
• Paralympic Games Paris 2024 – Wheelchair Rugby Pools