WXV 2 2023 Team Guide – Can Japan Win in South Africa?

The first-ever WXV match will feature Italy playing Japan in WXV 2 in Stellenbosch, South Africa on 13 October 2023, and the Sakura Fifteen will look to build on a positive run of results to compete for the inaugural WXV 2 title which also features Scotland, Samoa, USA, and hosts South Africa.

WXV 2 is played in South Africa between 13-28 October 2023 and all six women’s teams will be competitive in this new-look competition. The six teams also include four sides ranked in the top ten by World Rugby, with Japan currently ranked 10th.

Sally Horrox, World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby said in the leadup to the WXV at the Capgemini Women in Rugby Leadership summit at the Campus Les Fontaines in France, “WXV will be a truly global tournament. WXV allows us to take the game around the world more frequently, bringing more rugby for more fans, more visibility.”

Horox is adamant about the shift in the women’s game, “We are part of a cultural shift for women. Women who want to be players, women who want to be coaches, officiate, fans, who want to be part of this global game for all.”

Photo Credit: World Rugby

There is no promotion and relegation between WXV 1 and WXV 2 this year, however, the sixth-placed WXV 2 team will face relegation to WXV 3 for the 2024 edition.

Current World Rugby Rankings:

• USA #7
• Italy #8
• Scotland #9
• Japan #10
• South Africa #12
• Samoa #16

Japan Sakura Fifteen – WXV 2 2023 Squad

Japan completed their preparations with a win in Parma over Italy which followed a 2-0 series win over Fiji at home, away wins in Spain,  as well as the ARWC title in 2023 and the side head to SA on a 6-match winning streak.

JRFU Women’s Head Coach Lesley McKenzie named Iroha Nagata as the captain of the Japan squad which includes 18 forwards and 12 backs – Japan’s most-capped player Seina Saito (37 caps) is in the squad while Natsuki Kashigawa is the only uncapped player included.

16 players in the Sakura Fifteen squad in South Africa have 10 test caps or less experience and Mckenzie said: “WXV is a great format for teams like us that don’t usually get to experience this type of tournament. The Six Nations and North American sides play in tournament formats, but for teams like Japan, Fiji and South Africa, this is massive as it is so much closer to a World Cup format than we’ve ever experienced. For a young, developing programme like ours, it’s really crucial and will be a great experience.”

Forwards: Sachiko Kato, Natsuki Kashigawa, Masami Kawamura, Asuka Kuge, Sakurako Korai, Hinata Komaki, Seina Saito, Yuka Sadaka, Kotomi Taniguchi, Ayano Nagai, Iroha Nagata (captain), Nijiho Nagata, Mio Nishimura, Sakurako Hatada, Manami Mine, Otoka Yoshimura, Mei Yoshimoto, Jennifer Nduka.

Backs: Megumi Abe, Nao Ando, Komachi Imakugi, Ayasa Otsuka, Kanako Kobayashi, Moe Tsukui, Sora Nishimura, Haruka Hirotsu, Mana Furuta, Misaki Matsumura, Kotono Yasuo, Minori Yamamoto.

Photo Credit: JRFU – Head Coach Lesley Mckenzie after Japan Sakura XV beat Italy in the WXV build-up

Samoa – WXV 2 2023 Squad

Among the Samoan squad is Cassie Siataga who scored all of Samoa’s points as they beat Fiji 19-18 to win the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship 2023 and secure their place in WXV 2.

There are some strong Asian connections with this Samoan team, as Rebekah Tufuga (#3) and Ti Tauasosi(#13) have played with Japanese outfit Nagata Blue Angels, while flyhalf Bella Milo is a long-time Hong Kong-based player currently with RC Valley.

Samoa played South Africa on October 7th as a preparation match in the lead-up to WXV and the two teams drew the game 17-all.

Sui Tauasa-Pauaraisa, the Samoan captain, said of WXV, “It’s an honour and privilege to be captain of our national side, especially coming here. I was saying to the girls that this is the first time that we’re playing out of Oceania since the last World Cup Samoa participated in, which was in 2014. It’s pretty amazing!

With WXV, we’re able to showcase what we have. Our team has not been able to have games and test matches and only playing under Oceania, this is a really good opportunity for us to get more games, especially because we missed out on the last World Cup as well due to COVID because we couldn’t get to [the] qualifiers.”

Forwards: Rereglory Aiono, Maletina Brown, Tiara-Lee Fanuatunu, Avau Filimaua, Ana Mamea, Sosoli Talawadua, Angelica Uila, Lulu Leuta, Mary Lumsden, Easter Savelio, Olalini Tafoulua, Fogamanono Tusiga, Utumalama Atonio, Nina Foaese, Sui Pauaraisa, Sinead Ryder, Tia Tauasosi.

Backs: Saelua Leaula, Faalua Tugaga, Bella Milo, Cassie Siataga, Rebeka Cordero-Tufuga, Allison Futialo, Taalili Iosefo, Hope Schuster, Lutia Col Aumua, Michelle Curry, Linda Fiafia, Hasting Leiataua, Karla Wright-Akeli.

Samoa and South Africa played in October 2023 to prepare for WXV – the match was a 17-17 draw

WXV 2 2023 Squad – Italy

Azzurre coach Giovanni Raineri has included three uncapped players in the Italy squad for WXV 2 in South Africa, and the team travels on the back of a home defeat to Japan.

Sofia Catellani, Elena Errichiello and Nicole Mastrangelo are the test potential debutants

Squad: Gaia Buso, Beatrice Capomaggi, Sofia Catellani, Giulia Cavina, Alyssa D’Incà, Giordana Duca, Elena Errichiello, Valeria Fedrighi, Alessandra Frangipani, Lucia Gai, Elisa Giordano, Francesca Granzotto, Laura Gurioli, Isabella Locatelli, Veronica Madia, Gaia Maris, Nicole Mastrangelo, Aura Muzzo, Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Alessia Pilani, Alissa Ranuccini, Beatrice Rigoni, Sara Seye, Michela Sillari, Emanuela Stecca, Sofia Stefan, Emma Stevanin, Sara Tounesi, Silvia Turani, Vittoria Vecchini.

Photo Credit: JRFU – Italy Women vs Japan 2023

South Africa – WXV 2 2023 Squad

Springbok Women interim coach Louis Koen included 19 players with Rugby World Cup experience in his squad for WXV 2 as the hosts stake a claim to win the first WXV 2 tournament at home.

Babalwa Latsha will captain the experienced squad which only features one uncapped player, Maceala Samboya.

Latsha said: “We’re exceptionally proud and excited to be hosting the world to our shores. I think it’s a brilliant opportunity for South African women’s rugby and women’s rugby globally to be able to showcase our talents in such a broad platform.

It’s quite an exciting prospect for me to lead my side in such a fantastic spectacle of women’s rugby. Leadership is something that’s close to my heart. Ours is to represent our brand of rugby the best that we can with the hopes of inspiring the next generation of young South African women rugby players and this is really fantastic for women’s rugby as a whole.”

Koen said, “We have lost some players along the way, but that again presented opportunities to others, such as Maceala Samboya, who showed her ability in the matches against the Rhinos and Barbarians last week. We are now two weeks away from the first match against Scotland and it will be a big challenge.”

Forwards: Aseza Hele, Lusanda Dumke, Catha Jacobs, Nompumelelo Mathe, Danelle Lochner, Vainah Ubisi, Sinazo Mcatshulwa, Nolusindiso Booi, Babalwa Latsha (captain), Amber Schonert, Yonela Ngxingolo, Asithandile Ntoyanto, Sanelisiwe Charlie, Roseline Botes, Micke Gunter, Lucell Hanekom, Lindelwa Gwala.

Backs: Byrhandrè Dolf, Mary Zulu, Chuma Qawe, Veroeshka Grain, Unathi Mali, Maceala Samboya, Jakkie Cilliers, Piwokuhle Nyanda, Shaunique Hess, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, Rumandi Potgieter, Unam Tose, Tayla Kinsey.

Scotland – WXV 2 2023 Squad

Scotland Womens XV Head Coach Bryan Easson had included two uncapped players in his squad for South Africa, with Fiona McIntosh and Demi Swann in line to earn their test debuts.

The team is also missing Evie Wills, Jenny Maxwell, Molly Wright and Shona Campbell due to injury.

Easson said: “I’ve been really encouraged by the work-rate and effort that the squad has shown over our pre-season block, which included a lot of contact conditioning, fitness work and the opportunity to develop the style of rugby that we will be looking to execute throughout WXV.”

Rachel Malcolm as the WXV Scotland captain added of being at the tournament, “I think it’s incredibly important. I think it’s probably the biggest step forward in the women’s game to get more exposure to high-level rugby and to get women’s rugby out there and inspire little girls and let them know that there’s opportunities like this out there is really important for us.

But I think in terms of developing the game, it’s important for all of these teams to get the opportunity to play different styles of rugby. We don’t play teams like South Africa very often so it’s a massive opportunity for us to play them, and to play USA and Japan, which are teams not in the Women’s Six Nations which will be a completely different challenge for us and it will help us push on as a team as a result.”

Forwards: Leah Bartlett, Christine Belisle, Elliann Clarke, Lisa Cockburn, Demi Swann, Anne Young, Elis Martin, Lana Skeldon, Sarah Bonar, Eva Donaldson, Fiona McIntosh, Louise McMillan, Emma Wassell, Evie Gallagher, Jade Konkel, Rachel Malcolm (captain), Rachel McLachlan.

Backs: Caity Mattinson, Mairi McDonald, Helen Nelson, Beth Blacklock, Coreen Grant, Sarah Law, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Meryl Smith, Rhona Lloyd, Francesca McGhie, Liz Musgrove, Chloe Rollie.

USA – WXV 2 2023 Squad

The USA will head to South Africa for WXV 2 featuring a number of players who play in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby.

Interim USA Women’s head coach Milton Haig said: “I’m excited about some of the talent I’ve seen in the team and am confident we can make incremental improvements as we move forward from our time in Europe to the competition in South Africa. Ultimately, we want to win test matches and work our way up the world rankings. This is not only a realistic goal but an achievable one.”

Forwards: Tiara A’au, Catie Benson, Charli Jacoby, Alivia Leatherman, Keia Mae Sagapolu, Monalisa Tupou, Kathryn Treder, Paige Stathopoulos, Hallie Taufoou, Evelyn Ashenbrucker, Erica Jarrell, Tahlia Brody, Yeja Dunn, Rachel Ehrecke, Rachel Johnson, Georgie Perris-Redding, Freda Tafuna.

Backs: Taina Tukuafu, Carly Waters, Gabby Cantorna, Eti Haungatau, Emily Henrich, Kate Zackary, Meya Bizer, Lotte Clapp, Autumn Czaplicki, Summer Harris-Jones, Mata Hingano, Tess Feury, Bulou Mataitoga.

How To Watch WXV 2023

Matches in all three divisions – WXV 1, WXV 2 and WXV 3 – will be broadcast on RugbyPass TV offering free streaming of any matches outside of the relevant territories.

In parts of Asia, South-East Asian network BEIN has blanket coverage of all three divisions.

• East Asia – BeIN Sport
• Fiji and Pacific Islands – Fiji TV (Includes the Pacific Islands)
• Italy – Sky Italia
• Middle East and North Africa – Starzplay
• Netherlands – Ziggo Sport
• New Zealand – Sky NZ
• Portugal – Sport TV
• Spain – Movistar

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox commented: “Visibility for the women’s game is key and fans around the world will now have more opportunities than ever to get closer to the game with our world-class streaming platform, RugbyPass TV showing all the WXV fixtures for free. This is an exciting step forward for the women’s game and it will undoubtedly play a leading role in awareness, promotion and accessibility of this fantastic new tournament.”

WXV 2023 News

• WXV 2023 Complete Guide.
• Sakura Fifteen Pre-WXV 2 2023 Match Schedule & Results.
• WXV 2023 Match Officials.
• WXV 2023 Match Schedule Confirmed,