Sakura 15 Claim Taiyo Life JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE SERIES 2025 With Spanish Win

The Japan Sakura 15 won the Taiyo Life JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE SERIES 2025 by beating Spain 30-19 in Tokyo to claim the 2-0 series win and make it 5 from 5 Test victories in 2025.

Feature Photo Credit – Matsumoto Kaori/ Just Rugby JP

The second and final JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE SERIES 2025 match was played at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium with more than 5,000 spectators in attendance as the Japanese played their final home game before the Rugby World Cup 2025.

The Spanish team was outplayed in this contest, but again will rue their own discipline as a late yellow card last week let the game slip away. They conceded 23 penalties in the match.

Scorer of two tries, Japanese wing Kagawa Mele Yua Havili (who previously played at #8 for her club) said via justrugby, “I knew there would be space on the outside.  I’m a wing. I think my desire to score tries has grown stronger, and the results have come. If I can go to the World Cup, I want to show my strength.”

Photo Credit- JRFU

Spanish player Tecla Masoko was carded and replaced by Claudia Pérez in the 5th minute, and there was an early injury change as Lea Ducher was replaced by Alba Vinuesa. The second yellow card in the 10th minute was handed out to lock Elena Martínez.

The home side started well as the visitors were players down, and the Sakura took full advantage, scoring a brace of tries through wing Kagawa Mele Yua Havili and never let go of the lead until the final whistle. She crossed over in the 13th and 25th minutes to make it 10-0 at halftime.

The Sakura forward pack has been in fine form all year despite seeing changes in the selections, and they again had the better of their opposition, and Spain struggled to neutralise the Japanese driving maul and their quick hands as they took advantage of the spaces in open play.

Japan extended their lead with a 3rd try in the 45th minute as captain Iroha Nagata charged down a kick and somehow the ball lodged as she caught it to run over unopposed in a bizarre score to lead 17-0.

Photo Credit- JRFU -Japan Sakura 15 captain Iroha Nagata

The Spanish did score three tries through Nerea García, Nuria Jou and Lourdes Alameda, but two more Japanese tries in the 58th and 69th minutes (Matsumura Misaki and Kokaji Ayumi) meant they secured a 4th straight win over Les Leonas and claimed the JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE SERIES 2025.

Sakura Fifteen Head Coach Lesley McKenzie said, “The balance of our situational judgment today was excellent. We made good decisions throughout the match, but at times we also made some simple things more complicated. There were also instances where we became too defensive, when we should have looked to attack more. Defeating Spain twice in a row was a challenge and since we’ll face them again at the World Cup, we need to keep working hard.”

Spain’s Head Coach Juan González Marruecos said after the match, “Obviously, we’re disappointed. We always planned to win the match, but we weren’t able to. I’m proud of the players, who gave their all on the field, and in the weeks until the World Cup, we’re going to keep working to narrow the gap we still have with Japan as much as possible.

We’ve managed to glean very good information from these matches, not only for the direct clash against Japan in the World Cup, but in general. We believe we can improve in many areas, and that’s where all our focus will be.”

Spanish captain Laura Delgado, who won her 50th cap, said “Japan is a very dynamic team. We tried to slow down their game, and when we were fifteen, I think it worked, and we defended well. But errors in static phases also hurt us a lot, as we were unable to maintain possession.”

Rugby World Cup 2025

The JRFU have also announced the Sakura 15 Rugby World Cup 2025 Squad as the team travels to play Italy before they head to England.

The Spanish will play England’s Red Roses on Saturday, August 2, before the RWC 2025 gets underway.

Japan are in the same pool as Spain at the Rugby World Cup 2025, and the two sides will face each other in York on 7th September in their final Pool C match.

Rugby World Cup 2024 News

• Japan Sakura 15s vs Spain Preview – 26 July 2025.
• Japan Sakura 15s vs Spain Preview – 19 July 2025.
• “We Want To Make It To The Knockouts at RWC 2025” – Sakura 15s Head Coach Lesley McKenzie
• Sakura Fifteen Confirm Italy Fixture Ahead of RWC 2025.