WXV Global Series 2026 Preview – Japan vs Wales Test #1

The Sakura XV hosts Wales in the first of two Tests as part of the WXV Global Series 2026, also the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2026 double-header, as the Brave Blossoms take on Fiji in the JRFU 100th Anniversary Match at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (Tokyo) on Saturday, October 24th.

Photo Credit – JRFU

The JRFU will be celebrating Japan’s 100th Women’s test match dating back to their international debut against France, a 62-0 loss in the inaugural Women’s Rugby World Cup in 1991. Overall, the Sakura Fifteen have a W47, L50, D2 record in their 99 tests to date.

For this Test, Japan are ranked 12^th in the world, one place below Wales in the World Rugby rankings, and Wales leads the head-to-head 2-0. This will be their first meeting since the WXV2 tournament in 2024, when Wales won 19-10.

Toshizumi Kitagawa, Japan Women’s XV Head Coach, has overseen losses against Fiji, Italy and twice to Ireland in his tenure, but the selection of players for the camp before the Wales Test showed he is willing to blood new players, some of whom we have been eagerly awaiting for some time.

Kitagawa, said via the JRFU: “In the match against Fiji, we felt a significant physical difference because we weren’t fully formed as a team. We focused on how to bridge that physical gap while still utilising our speed during our European tour. We gradually started to take shape, and everyone began to understand how we want to play rugby. It was a very fulfilling tour.”

Notably, it’s exciting to see all three uncapped players from the camp selected in he matchday 23. Savannah Bodman from Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix and also Sophie Akiko Langford start.

Langford is at outside centre and has just this season signed to play in Japan with Yokohama TKM, but has played for Exeter Chiefs, England Rugby U20 and Scotland Rugby U18s.

Bodman starts at number 8. We have spoken to her several times before, and she expressed her desire to represent Japan. She has already been capped for Sakura 7s in the 2025 ARESS and was one of their star players, but to our surprise, was not selected during the HSBC SVNS Series.

She told us previously: “After I didn’t get selected for the Rugby World Cup 2025, 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.”

Chihiro Ito is the other uncapped player in the wider squad and is still at Waseda Uni. She is the sister of current Brave Blossoms University-based flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito, and Kotaro Ito, who has played for Japan XV and is a flyhalf with the Black Rams Tokyo. Both her brothers played for arch-rival Meiji Uni. The 19-year-old is among the reserves.

Some of the other debuts this year have had an impressive start. 18-year-old flanker Nami Asari played in four matches and scored four tries, while fullback Maiko Nishi has played all four Tests too. Both start again.

Nami Asari, said, “The Sakura Fifteen have built up a rich history up until now. I feel a sense of responsibility for that, but I also want to play with a positive attitude as a challenger.”

Scrumhalf and captain Moe Tsukui, who reached 50 caps in Europe, added, “With a new staff, new members, and new tactics, it was very difficult to implement all of that in such a short time. We were able to spend about a month together playing three matches in Europe, which gave us many more opportunities to talk with each other. I think we’re becoming a good team.”

The set piece for Japan came under pressure against their European opposition but their lineout and maul were very effective – most of their tries came from lineout dominance.

The Head Coach added, “We had no idea how well our scrums and mauls would work in Europe, but looking at the results, we’ve developed something that could become a major weapon for us. The fact that we can consistently perform well even when players are replaced is a great source of reassurance for the team.”

Both Japan teams will wear special white commemorative jerseys to mark the JRFU’s centenary.

Photo Credit – JRFU

Wales Women’s head coach Sean Lynn saw his side record a 50-19 victory against South Africa and lost 26-24 to USA at Cardiff Arms Park. That surprise win over SA ended a nine-match losing run in test rugby.

His touring squad is co-captained by flankers Alex Callender and Kate Williams, and there are two uncapped players, props Stella Orrin and Crystal James. Alex Callender will run out for her 50th cap on the weekend.

Lynn, said: “Alex Callender will win her 50th Wales cap and we all know – players, coaches and staff – what this will mean to her and her family.
Al Cal is the emotional heartbeat of this squad and is a hugely respected across the rugby world and her resilience and passion for her country is an inspiration to us all.”

For the matchday squad, he has made five changes, two positional, to the starting line-up that faced the USA.

Lynn said via the WRU: “This was a tough selection process after our performances against South Africa and USA, we asked the players to move the dial, and we did that in those two Test matches.

We scored eight tries against South Africa, and the disappointment of the players with the two-point deficit against USA, a team ranked sixth in the world, demonstrated the shift in mindset we need.

We know we have a long way to go before we become the team we want to be, but the tour to play the Sakura Fifteen in Japan is an exciting challenge for us all.”

The Welsh Head coach added, “Japan will pose a very different threat to the sides we have faced previously in this WXV campaign, with their ability to play fast and wide. They will pose us different challenges, and we will have to find different answers, and it will be a real test of our game management.

It’s good to welcome Nel Metcalfe and Seren Lockwood back into the fold after injury, and we are excited to see them go against Japan.”

The second Test is the Taiyo Life JAPAN RUGBY CHALLENGE MATCH 2026 as part of the WXV Global Series will be held at Kumagaya Sports Culture Park Rugby Stadium (Saitama) on Saturday, October 31st. That is the Sakura XV final match of the year.

Match Permutations

• Japan will climb above Wales into 11th place if they win, and Wales will drop to 13th, equalling their all-time low.
• Wales cannot improve on 11th place if they win, but a victory would see Japan drop a place to 13th, with Fiji the beneficiaries.

Sakura XV Women’s Squad vs Wales – WXV Global Series 2026

More of the matchday squad will be announced by the JRFU.

Wales Squad vs Japan Sakura XV – WXV Global Series 2026

The Welsh have named their squad for Japan, and more details can be found here from the WRU.

Starting XV

1. Maisie Davies (Exeter Chiefs) 19 caps, five points
2. Kelsey Jones (Sale Sharks) 59 caps, 40 points
3. Sisilia Tuipulotu (Harlequins) 38 caps, 45 points
4. Branwen Metcalfe (Brython Thunder) Eight caps
5. Jorja Aiono (Gloucester-Hartpury) Seven caps
6. Kate Williams (co-captain, Gloucester-Hartpury) 28 caps, 25points
7. Alex Callender (co-captain, Harlequins) 49 caps, 50points
8. Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning) 19 caps

15. Lisa Neumann (Leicester Tigers) 54 caps, 35 points
14. Nel Metcalfe (Gloucester-Hartpury) 16 caps, 20 points
13. Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders) 27 caps, 30 points
12. Freya Bell (Gwalia Lightning) Four caps, 14 points
11. Amy Williams (Brython Thunder) Two caps
10. Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears) 85 caps, 167 points
9. Seren Lockwood (Brython Thunder) 10 caps, 10 points
;

Replacements
16. Molly Reardon (Gwalia Lightning) 18 caps, 10 points
17. Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks) 56 caps, 20 points
18. Elan Jones (Brython Thunder) One cap
19. Gwen Crabb (Brython Thunder) 44 caps, 15 points
20. Georgia Evans (Saracens) 50 caps, 15 points
21. Bethan Lewis (Bristol Bears) 66 caps, 35 points
22. Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury) 42 caps, 15 points
23. Courtney Keight (Sale Sharks) 35 caps, five points

Match Officials

• Referee: Julianne Zussman (RC)
• Assistant Referee 1: Sunny Lee (HKCR)
• Assistant Referee 2: Hibiki Ikeda (JRFU)
• TMO: Matt Rodden (HKCR)
• FPRO: Koki Yamauchi (JRFU)

How To Watch WXV Global Series 2026

Depending on your region, matches should be available on RugbyPassTV.

WXV 2026 Rugby News

• Japan Sakura XV Leave Europe Winless After Second Irish Loss.
• Japan Defeated By Ireland in WXV Global Series But Showed Improvements.
• Sakura XV Lose Heavily to Italy In WXV Global Series 2026 Opener.
• WXV Global Series 2026 Preview – Italy vs Japan.