Defending World Champions Black Ferns Up Next for Sakura Fifteen at RWC 2025

The Sakura Fifteen face current World Champions, the New Zealand Black Ferns, at Sandy Park in Exeter on Sunday, August 31, a ground both Sakura Fifteen’s prop Sachiko Kato and centre Kanako Kobayashi have played at for local Premiership Women’s Rugby side, the Exeter Chiefs.

Sakura Fifteen Head Coach Lesley McKenzie said of the NZ match after their loss to Ireland, and it being a must-win to reach the knockout stages:

“This has been fabulous in terms of reinforcement of things we know we can do, and for some adjustments going into New Zealand next week. The main thing for us is that we had a response in that second half for a first half that wasn’t what we wanted it to be. If we can take the positives, the ambition and the physicality from the second half into next week, we will be alright and be able to put our game on the field, which is what we want.”

Photo Credit – JRFU

One of the many threats the Sakura will have to contend with is New Zealand’s Jorja Miller, whom some of the players will have faced in Sevens. She scored two tries in the half she played and showcased why she is one of the best players on the planet in the 54-8 win over Spain.

Miller said following their victory, “I think we went into it knowing how much passion Spain would bring, and they really brought it to us for the whole 80. It was fun to get the first World Cup game out of the way, and we can focus on Japan next week.”

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe who played a season of XVs in Japan, extended her record tries at the WRWC in the win over Spain but Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, was the Mastercard Player of the Match, in which she had 17 carries, 6 offloads, 2 turnovers, and 1 try – how Japan will stop the NZ power and speed is a conundrum.

Photo Credit – JRFU

5 Areas The Sakura Fifteen Have To Improve Against the Black Ferns

1. They HAVE TO START WELL – too many times, the Sakura 15 had poor or slow starts and had to try claw their way back into a game. Against a team as good and ruthless as the Black Ferns, they have to be in the contest for the whole 80 minutes
2. DONT FEAR THE JERSEY – we have seen this with the Japanese 7s team too, but too many times the Japanese team play reputations of sides like the Black Ferns. Although Spain was well beaten by NZ in their RWC opener, they showed real fight and never gave up. We think Japan is a better team than the Spanish, and they need to go toe to toe with the defending champions.
3. DISCIPLINE IS KEY – if they play with cool heads and minimise the penalty count, they can put pressure on the Black Ferns in the rucks, and they have shown huge improvement in the set piece and could try to squeeze some penalties of their own. They can’t give the Kiwis any easy way outs in defence or attack.
4. RUTHLESSNESS is needed, especially when the Japanese have the ball in hand and play with pace. They have let themselves down in the final passes/attacks and left too many points out there.
5. BELIEF – We dont doubt they will give it their all and never give up, but this needs to be played like a final – have a crack at the best and play to win.

We will publish a more in-depth preview of the match later this week once the teams are confirmed.

Japan Sakura 15 Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 News

• Japan Sakura 15 vs Ireland Preview – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
• The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is Here and We Are All For It.
• What Japan Sakura 15 Have Been Saying Ahead of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Opener Against Ireland.
• “We Want To Make It To The Knockouts at RWC 2025” – Sakura 15s Head Coach Lesley McKenzie.