Japan announce squad for women's RWC 2025

The Japan Rugby Football Union has today announced the 32 players and team staff making up the Japan Women’s National Team that will compete at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.

The squad consists of 18 forwards and 14 backs and is captained by 39-cap veteran Iroha Nagata. The squad is relatively experienced with 12 of the 32 having 25 caps or more, while only three players hold fewer than 10.

Drawn in Pool C, Japan are set to face Ireland, Spain and six-time champions and current two-time defending champions, New Zealand.

The Sakura Fifteen will depart Japan for Italy on 2 August where they will play Le Azzurre in a warm-up test on Saturday, 9 August in Calvisano. From there, they will head to England for their final preparations ahead of a must-win opening Pool C match against Ireland on Sunday, 24 August at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton.

They will then face New Zealand at Sandy Park in Exeter, before heading north for their final pool match against Spain at York Community Stadium.

With an unbeaten, five-match winning streak in 2025, including a first ever win over the USA and a two-match home series win over Pool C rivals Spain, the Sakura Fifteen leave Japan well prepared and full of confidence.

"I’m immensely proud to announce this squad. It’s been three years since this World Cup cycle began and thanks to the support of the JRFU, the new competitions from World Rugby and the work, dedication and passion of the players and staff, we’re a very different team than when we set out three years ago," said head coach, Lesley McKenzie.

"The challenge that lies ahead is a little more familiar, yet it’s no less exciting. It’s starting to get very tangible as we leave next week for the Italy warm-up."

Japan squad

Forwards

Name Club Team Caps

Sachiko KATO, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars (Club), 29 (Caps)

Wako KITANO, MIE PEARLS, 21

Hinata KOMAKI, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 21

Nijiho NAGATA, MIE PEARLS, 29

Miharu MACHIDA, Japan Univ. of Economics, 3

Manami MINE, Nippon Sport Science Univ., 11

Asuka KUGE, ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 21

Ayumu KOKAJI, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 11

Kotomi TANIGUCHI, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars, 25

Ayano SAKURAI, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars, 22

Yuna SATO, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 23

Otoka YOSHIMURA, ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 28

Masami KAWAMURA, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars, 21

Sakurako KORAI, Nippon Sport Science Univ., 21

Seina SAITO, MIE PEARLS, 49

Iroha NAGATA (C), ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 39

Kyoko HOSOKAWA, MIE PEARLS, 17

Jennifer NDUKA, Hokkaido Barbarians Diana, 14

Backs

Megumi ABE, ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 31

Moe TSUKUI, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars, 41

Ayasa OTSUKA, ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 35

Minori YAMAMOTO, YOKOHAMA TKM, 37

Nao ANDO, BRAVE LOUVE, 12

Kanako KOBAYASHI, YOKOGAWA Musashino Artemi-Stars, 20

Sakurako HATADA, Nippon Sport Science Univ., 8

Mana FURUTA, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 35

Haruka HIROTSU, Nanairo PRISM FUKUOKA, 16

Komachi IMAKUGI, ARUKAS QUEEN KUMAGAYA, 30

Mele Yua Havili KAGAWA, Nanairo PRISM FUKUOKA, 5

Misaki MATSUMURA, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 12

Sora NISHIMURA, MIE PEARLS, 20

Rinka MATSUDA, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, 14

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