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.
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
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 Venue: Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu (Fukuoka)
Game 2: Saturday, August 17, 2024 Venue: Ogasayama Sports Park ECOPA Stadium (Shizuoka)
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.
Japanese International Rugby 2024
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Publish date : 2024-06-24 09:28:31
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