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Japan include 16 World Cup veterans for European leg of WXV
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Sakura Fifteen head coach Toshizumi Kitagawa has announced his 30-player squad for the WXV Global Series.
In total, 16 players competed at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 last year. This includes the team’s scrum-half, Moe Tsukui, who is in line to hit 50 caps while in Europe.
Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars centre Uta Kataoka is the only uncapped player named in the squad. She will be competing with Haruka Hirotsu and Mana Furuta for a place in the starting XV.
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It was only last month that the Japan Rugby Football Union announced that former Brave Blossoms lock Toshizumi Kitagawa had been appointed head coach.
He had previously held the role on an interim basis, following the departure of Lesley McKenzie as head coach at the conclusion of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, and led the team to success at the Asia Rugby Women’s Championship. McKenzie was recently named as contact coach of the Portugal men’s team.
At Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, Japan left the tournament at the group stage, but did conclude their time in England with a win.
In Kitagawa’s first game as head coach, Japan lost 15-12 against the Fijiana at JAPAN BASE in Fukofuka. Fiji have backed up that victory with another in their WXV Global Series Challenger opener against Spain at the weekend.
Having made their Test debuts for the Sakura Fifteen in that Test against the Fijiana, Maiko Nishi, Honoka Tsunokawa and Nami Asari are all named for the European tour.
In September, the Sakura Fifteen will play fixtures against Italy and Ireland. They will play Ireland again in a fixture outside of the WXV Global Series window, before hosting Wales for consecutive Test matches in September.
Japan 2026 WXV Global Series squad
Wako Kitano
Hinata Komaki
Juka Fuji
Miharu Machida
Nami Yoshida
Asuka Kuge
Moe Nagaoka
Nijiho Nagata
Masami Kawamura
Yuna Sato
Saya Nakamura
Otoka Yoshimura
Nami Asari
Sakurako Korai
Mio Nishimura
Mele Yua Havili Kagawa
Jennifer Nduka
Anan Seo
Moe Tsukui
Suzuka Nakashima
Kanna Hayashi
Sawa Harada
Minori Yamamoto
Uta Kataoka
Haruka Hirotsu
Mana Furuta
Komachi Imakugi
Honoka Tsunokawa
Maiko Nishi
Sora Nishimura
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