The Taiyo Life Japan Rugby Challenger Sequence 2025 has come to an in depth, with Japan incomes back-to-back wins over Spain, giving the Sakura a robust increase forward of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Lesley McKenzie‘s crew, at present on a five-game profitable streak, opened the collection with a 32-19 victory and went on to again it up with a 30-19 win this previous weekend.
Provided that each side will play in Pool C alongside increased ranked Eire and New Zealand on the World Cup, we assess how the underdogs faired towards one another throughout these World Cup warm-ups and the property of every facet.
Japan
The Sakura seemed sturdy up entrance and have a threatening maul. Their maul drive was key to unlocking the door to Spain’s in-goal space, claiming 5 of the ten tries scored by the hosts, a serious development that can be utilized as a trump card in 4 weeks’ time agains their pool opponents.
Hookers Asuke Kuge and Kotomi Taniguchi’s pitch-perfect lineout darts made a distinction to how their crew made a constant advance in the direction of point-scoring land, because the lineout was concerned in 90% of the tries scored by the Sakura.
The house facet’s pinpoint precision and relentless means of working off set piece, particularly the maul drive stored the Leonas at bay, stopping the guests from having a breather and injecting tempo and pace into the contests.
Whereas Japan’s set-piece was really a sight to behold, they might want to polish their recreation administration earlier than travelling to England. The house crew gained the primary two video games by 11 and 12 factors, however within the closing match, they let Spain minimize a 20-point result in 11 because of lapses in self-discipline and ball possession.
Scrum-half Moe Tsukui’s recreation managing experience was essential to how the hosts constructed a snug lead within the second recreation of the collection, however as soon as she was subbed off, there was a slight decline in how her crew operated. Tsukui’s imaginative and prescient and sense of alternative made Japan a extra threatening and mature facet, however no facet can assure their key gamers will at all times be match and accessible, so this may very well be a chink of their armour.
Nonetheless, Japan’s comeback within the collection opener, recovering from 13-19 right down to get better 32-19 within the closing quarter of the sport was spectacular, all because of how they refocused and made their recreation plan repay.
Spain
When there were glimpses of magic and illusion, the Leonas had been in a position to break by way of the Japanese ironclad defence, making good floor and organising among the greatest tries of the collection.
Nuria Jou’s pick-and-go attempt got here after a sensational crew transfer, with Claudia Peña, Claudia Pérez, Amalia Argudo and Anne Corres linking as much as take their crew from their very own half to Japan’s try-area.
4 of the six tries scored by Spain got here from an attacking transfer that sought to hurry up the ball and create a complicated frenzy for the opposition, permitting Spain to create a line break and demanding attempt scoring alternatives.
Sure, taking dangers can include some downsides, as a missed cross/kick can result in a turnover and open the door for a menacing counter-attack.
If the Leonas can discover consistency and piece collectively a extra assured passing technique, they are going to inch nearer to pulling off a shock come late August.
Whereas Spain made some good floor in a handful of areas, their lineout is actually a fear with only a few weeks to go till their first World Cup recreation.
Though the Leonas bagged 4 tries that had the lineout as the place to begin, they misplaced 35% of their very own lineout throws, spoiling greater than a few attempt scoring alternatives and permitting Japan a foothold within the recreation.
Nonetheless, each time Spain obtained their lineout to work, it trampolined them into a robust tactical place to harm Japan, permitting Argudo to arrange the appropriate performs on the proper time.
Spain additionally take pleasure in a very good mixture of gamers together with kids comparable to Peña who deliver pleasure and flare and extra skilled heads comparable to Laura Delgado Dueñas who this weekend reached the 50 cap mark. The Spanish captain made her debut in 2016 and solely must function in three extra video games to grow to be the fifth most capped Leona of all time.
If Spain can type out their set-piece earlier than the World Cup, mixed with their unpredictable assault and muscled defence, they’ll grow to be an issue for the likes of Japan, Eire and the Black Ferns.
