Japan Sakura Fifteen vs Spain Preview – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

rugbyasia247 Posted On September 5, 2025

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Japan Sakura Fifteen face Pool C side Spain on Sunday, 7 September at the York Community Stadium as both sides look to lock horns for the third time in 2025, and both want to win their first game at the RWC 2025 before heading home.

Japan have won only one of their 14 pool stage matches at the Rugby World Cup, which was against Sweden in 1994 but they beat Spain twice in July in Japan, and their players and management are desperate not to go home empty-handed from England.

Japan and Spain have met five times before, with Spain winning the first two clashes but Japan winning both recent matches. However, Spain has a 100% win rate at the Rugby World Cup against Asian nations.

Both sides, although neither has registered a win in England at the tournament, have achieved a 100% scrum success rate on their own feed – only six teams have that stat. Both have also shown they have excellent kick restart retention.

The Sakura lineout has also been excellent, and they have stolen key ball from their opponents. Japan’s Masami Kawamura is one of just five players to have made 10+ lineout steals at RWC 2025.

Head Coach Lesley McKenzie said after the loss to the Black Ferns about the Spanish game, “We want to show the best of Japan. We have had two teams in this draw that are determined to play the game that they want to impose on the field, and I think Spain will be quite similar to us, in terms of how they want to play, what they want to showcase. So, we have to make sure we come out on top and really show the best of Japan. That’s what we have talked about, and that’s what we will be prepping this week.”

McKeznie has made three changes to their starting XV for the Spain game. One of those is Jennifer Nduka who replaces Seina Saito at number 8 to earn her first RWC start, but the experienced Saito is among the reserves.

Megumi Abe starts at nine with Moe Tsukui on the bench, and Misaki Matsumura starts on the right wing for Sakurako Hatada, who drops out of the matchday 23.

Elsewhere, the powerful Mele Yua Havili Kagawa replaces Kanako Kobayashi to provide backline cover and could earn her 7th cap. Indicative of how far the team has come, that’s the lowest number of caps in the Sakura matchday 23.

Photo Credit – RWC 2025 – Megumi Abe (Japan)

Kotomi Taniguchi said mid-week, “Looking ahead to the final match this week, we want to come together as one team and play in a way that surpasses the strong momentum Spain has shown. Our aim is to win, so that we can return to Japan with smiles on our faces.”

Kanako Kobayashi added, of not reaching the knockout stages, “It is disappointing. But after the Ireland match, we managed to implement our intent to ‘throw the first punch,’ so in this final match against Spain, we want to win and show Japan’s style of rugby before heading home.”

She said of the experience of playing at the tournament, “I don’t think I will ever again have such a joyful experience through rugby. To be able to play in the World Cup, which had been my target. I really felt like I was at home playing rugby. And when I went to greet the crowd, so many told me, ‘That was great rugby,’ which moved me deeply.”

Oscar Duran, the Spanish scrum coach, said of Japan, “We are clear that we need to achieve certain things within the game to put us in a position to win. We played Japan twice before the World Cup, and Japan didn’t win both times. Clearly, they’re the favourites, but we believe we have a chance to win the match if we do things well.”

One of the Spanish threats is Claudia Pena, who has made 27 carries at the Rugby World Cup this year, which is the most at the RWC 2025 for a back. She also has the most metres-in-contact (26) and has beaten the joint most defenders of any Spanish player this year.

Spain head coach Juan Gonzalez made seven personnel changes and one positional change to the starting XV that lost to Ireland, with six of these among the forward pack; Inés Antolínez (prop), Cristina Blanco (hooker) and Sidorella Bracic (prop) form a new front row, Mónica Castelo is in the second row alongside captain Lourdes Alameda.

Ana Peralta moves to the blindside flank, and Nerea García starts at openside. Alba Capell replaces Valentina Lucia Perez Marquez at number eight.

Ana Peralta said that against Ireland, they were guilty of giving away too many penalties “I believe that to beat Japan, we just need to adjust a few things, but we’ve got it.” In the backs, Lea Ducher replaced Claudia Cano at inside centre.

Japan Sakura Fifteen vs Spain Preview – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Photo Credit – RWC 2025 – Lea Ducher (Spain)

When Sara Cox takes charge of the match, she will become the first female to referee 50 Tests.

New Zealand play Pool C opponents Ireland the same day in Brighton, with the winner going to the quarterfinals as through top ranked seed from the group.

Match Permutations Japan Sakura Fifteen vs Spain WRWC 2025

If Japan beats Spain by more than 15 points and Wales wins, the Sakura 15 could climb to 11th in the World Rugby rankings
A Spanish victory could see them rise two places to 12th at the expense of Japan and Wales.