Savannah Bodman – Take Your Opportunities

We have spoken a couple of times to rising star Savannah Bodman, who has been playing and winning trophies with the Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, but has also now been capped by the Sakura 7s and had an outstanding introduction to international rugby in the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series.

Photo Credit – Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix – Savannah Bodman

When we last spoke, Savannah was on the cusp of winning the three-peat in the domestic Japan Women’s XV series, but this was followed by a disappointing 2025 Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series.

“For the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series, we didn’t have the best run, but it was still a lot of fun, and we learned so much even if we weren’t able to win any of those tournaments. There were so many learnings and so many new cool friendships that I made as well.

We had a couple of players join us from overseas. We had Chloe Chan from Hong Kong China Sevens, and then we also had Charity Williams. So that was really special, having them here.”

What are the benefits of having those overseas-based players come into the team for the series?

“I think it’s always good to have girls from other teams, just to create more vibes and more enjoyment for the team as well. They also just bring so much knowledge and experience. Like those two girls, they’re just really amazing girls, and they’re so sweet, and they have so much rugby knowledge, and both are really amazing players. 

They really helped us as well. I feel like everyone learned so much from them. Charity also ran some contact sessions, and I feel like those really helped us.”

Stepping Up To the International Stage – Savannah Bodman 

Savannah was selected to make her Sakura 7s debut in the recent Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 and was a try-scoring machine. She was MVP in the second tournament and, judged by her teammates, the best player in the opening leg, too. Japan won the overall Series without losing a game.

Photo Credit – JRFU -Savannah Bodman – Sakura 7s 2025

She said, “I was not expecting to be selected at all. Playing Sevens was not on my cards, and I didn’t think it could have been on the cards, as I was focused on Fifteens.

After I didn’t get selected for the Rugby World Cup, I was pretty gutted. My approach was let’s just have fun and train really hard, and have a good season with Phoenix for Sevens, and then I can work hard again for fifteens and try getting to suck it to fifteens later on this year.

I was so surprised when I got called up for the Sakura 7s team. In the second tournament of the Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series, the national team coach approached my club coach and said she wanted me to come to the national training camps. I was just really surprised, and I didn’t really know how to feel. I was more nervous than anything because I didn’t think that I would fit in.

I went to the first camp and thought, I’ll just give it my best shot, that’s all I can do, just try my best. I actually really enjoyed it, as it was a lot of fun. And then I also got selected for the next camp and so on. When I was selected for the China leg, and then in Sri Lanka. I was just surprised each time, to be honest.”

She had a phenomenal series. She was the top scorer in the opening leg and scored the winning try in golden point extra time to beat the hosts in the Cup Final in China. She then also scored six tries in one single game!

Of the tries she scored for Japan and especially the Cup-winning try in China, she remains very humble.

“That was so much fun. But honestly, it really wasn’t me. Those tries were the team, they did it all, and I was just lucky to be able to finish them.”

Photo Credit – Mr Wu – Savannah Bodman – Sakura 7s 2025

Overcoming Adversities and Making The Most of Opportunities

Savannah really overcame the disappointment of not going to RWC 2025, and we asked her to explain her approach to those challenges as a player.

“I didn’t really let it get me down. I never expect to make teams or anything, and I just keep focusing on the next thing and keep getting up. I have a really good support team at home with my family, and then obviously, the Phoenix are amazing as well. So I feel like I just don’t put too much pressure on myself. I just always find something to look forward to and try to stay calm and positive all the time. That’s pretty much how I like to roll.”

From our experience covering the Japan Sakura 7s and watching them over the years, they have a strong team ethos and a very strong teamwork and identity. We asked what the step-ups were for playing international rugby.

“I just needed to focus more on myself instead of, I don’t really know how to put it…. instead of things around me. And to want to keep learning and growing and working on myself – that really helped me step up my level and step up my rugby.

I did realise it is definitely quicker at that level and more intense, but I was up for the challenge. I’m up for any challenge, so I’m just going to keep trying, giving my best every day, and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Phoenix are a few games into the Japanese National Women’s Rugby Championship season, of which they are the defending champions, and aiming for an unprecedented 4th title in a row.

“The girls have had a really good pre-season. I haven’t really been part of it too much, as I’ve been away with national camps. But the girls have been training really hard, and they’re looking really sharp too, so I’m really excited to watch them even when I am not playing. Hopefully, I can play in December for a few games, but I’m not sure yet.”

The Japan Sakura 7s team announcement for the opening legs of the new HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai and Cape Town did not include Savannah, but it’s a long season.

“I’m pretty nervous, but I’m willing to give it a shot and try my hardest. If that doesn’t work out, there’s always fifteens too with the Phoenix, which I’m also really excited for.”

The Phoenix have thus far won all three of their OTOWA Cup 2025-2026 36th Kanto Women’s Rugby Football Tournament matches.

Photo Credit – JRFU -Savannah Bodman – Sakura 7s 2025

Of the opposition to watch out for domestically, Savannah said the likes of Mie Pearls, TKM Yokohama, were ones to watch as well as Artemi Stars. The former two tend to bolster the side with international signings, but the quality of Japanese players is already high.

Sakura XV Ambitions

We asked if she was still ambitious about making the Japan Sakura XVs squad, and what her takeaway from watching the women at RWC 2025 was.

“Yeah, definitely. But I’m just gonna take it each day as it goes, and just try my hardest. I haven’t been spoken to or anything like that. So I’ll just try to have a really good 15s season.

It was just unreal watching the tournament. Those girls are all really amazing. A lot of my friends were playing for Japan, and it was so cool to watch. Those girls are incredible.”

What is the one message she would send to younger players in terms of being most important in chasing their sporting dreams?

“Take any opportunity that you get, and you just give it your best shot. That’s pretty much it. I feel like if I didn’t take the opportunities, I do not really know where I would be right now.”

Rugby Asia 247 has entered a content agreement with the Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix club and will be bringing you player, coach, and staff interviews until 2026.

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