Jess Keating and Women’s National Talent Squad member Emma Tilly are hoping to join Jo Brown in making their Test debuts in Tokyo, as Ireland aim to make it two tour wins out of two against Japan.
2022 SUMMER TOUR SECOND TEST: Saturday, August 27
JAPAN WOMEN v IRELAND WOMEN, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo, 7pm local time/11am Irish time (live TG4/www.tg4.ie/J Sports Two/J Sports On-Demand/IRFU Live Blog)
Team News: Head coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland team, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s second Test against Japan at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
Six uncapped players impressed during last weekend’s memorable win in Shizuoka, and with a number of players unavailable this week through injury, the Ireland coaches have another opportunity to test squad depth and build further Test match experience within the group.
There are three changes in personnel to the team from the nine-try victory at Ecopa Stadium, with Dorothy Wall and Sam Monaghan both unavailable for selection due to injury, while Christy Haney and Nicole Cronin, who both came off the bench last week, are also ruled out.
Back rower Brown has been named to make her debut against the Sakura Fifteen, and Keating and Tilly are also in line to win their first caps off the bench.
McWilliams has named an unchanged back-line for Saturday’s clash with Lesley McKenzie’s side, the back-three once again featuring Méabh Deely, Natasja Behan and Aoife Doyle.
Aoife Dalton, who marked her debut with a try last week, partners Enya Breen in midfield, and 18-year-old starlet Dannah O’Brien and Ailsa Hughes are retained as the starting half-backs.
In the pack, Laura Feely starts at loosehead, Neve Jones is at hooker and Linda Djougang switches to the tighthead side of the scrum.
Monaghan’s injury-enforced absence means Hannah O’Connor shifts from the back row to the second row, where she partners captain Nichola Fryday.
Brown, the former England international, starts at blindside flanker, Edel McMahon continues at openside and Grace Moore makes her first Ireland start at number 8.
On the bench, Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse and Katie O’Dwyer provide the front row reinforcements, with Taryn Schutzler and the uncapped Keating (pictured below), who has been playing in America with Life University, completing the forward options available to McWilliams.
Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Leah Tarpey and MU Barnhall youngster Tilly, who turned 19 in June, complete the Ireland 23.
Commenting ahead of their final game of the summer tour, McWilliams said: “We were really pleased with last weekend’s victory and it was a reward for the hard work the whole group have put in over the course of the summer programme, but the focus for us has been on improving, growing and being better on Saturday.
This week has been a test of our resilience as there is no doubt the first Test took a huge amount out of the group, and as we go on this journey together we’ll learn a lot about the demands of Test match rugby.
“We’ve already grown hugely over the course of this tour and we’re excited about the team selected for this weekend.
“It is a great chance for us to explore our depth further and give players the opportunity they deserve for their hard work and commitment. I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform in the green jersey.”
Saturday’s series decider is live on TG4 from 10.40am Irish time, while there will be extensive match day coverage on IrishRugby.ie and across Irish Rugby social media channels.
Meanwhile, Japan head coach McKenzie has made six personnel changes as her charges seek to right the wrongs of last week’s disappointing performance.
Seina Saito comes in at blindside flanker to become Japan’s most-capped Women’s player of all-time. She wins her 31st Test cap, with openside Iroha Nagata and lock Yuna Sato, from local club Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, also gaining starts.
Livewire scrum half Megumi Abe returns to the starting XV after coming off the bench last weekend, while a rejigged back-line sees Rinka Matsuda switch to full-back with Hinano Nagura and Mana Furuta donning the number 14 and 13 jerseys respectively.
Replacement front rower Sachiko Kato, who spent the last two seasons playing in England with Exeter Chiefs, returns to the matchday squad for the first time since the Sakura Fifteen’s European tour last year.
JAPAN WOMEN: Rinka Matsuda (Nippon Sport Science University); Hinano Nagura (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Mana Furuta (Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix), Shione Nakayama (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Komachi Imakugi (Arukas Queen Kumagaya/Rissho University); Ayasa Otsuka (RKU Grace), Megumi Abe (Arukas Queen Kumagaya); Saki Minami (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars) (capt), Nijiho Nagata (International Budo University), Yuka Sadaka (Hirosaki Sakura Ovals), Yuna Sato (Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix), Maki Takano (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Seina Saito (Mie Pearls), Iroha Nagata (Arukas Queen Kumagaya), Ayano Nagai (Yokohama TKM).
Replacements: Makoto Lavemai (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Kotomi Taniguchi (Mie Pearls), Sachiko Kato (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Kie Tamai (Mie Pearls), Otoka Yoshimura (Rissho University), Moe Tsukui (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Minori Yamamoto (Mie Pearls), Kyoko Hosokawa (Mie Pearls).
IRELAND WOMEN: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Leinster), Enya Breen (TBC/Munster), Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster); Dannah O’Brien (Tullow RFC/Leinster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Laura Feely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Linda Djougang (TBC/Leinster), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Jo Brown (Worcester Warriors/IQ Rugby), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Taryn Schutzler (Saracens/Ulster), Jess Keating (Life University/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Leinster), Emma Tilly (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster).
Referee: Lauren Jenner (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Tasuku Kawahara, Eri Kamimura (both Japan)
Pre-Match Quotes – Nichola Fryday (Ireland Women):
I definitely think Japan will have a huge reaction to last week. That’s not the way they would have wanted this Test series to go, so we’re not underestimating them in any way.
“We know there were weaknesses in our performance that they will look to target, and I definitely think they will have a big retaliation to that match.
“We’re expecting it to be a physically and enjoyable match. A proper Test. In terms of our defence, we didn’t really have many chances to work on our defence last week, but the first 15 minutes was definitely something we weren’t really pleased with.
“We had the majority of the possession, but we know Japan will come back at us, and we’re not underestimating them in any way.
“It’s been about the finer details and focusing on what Japan will bring. We know they will step it up, it’s not going to be the same match it was last week.
“We’re all absolutely buzzing. It’s been such an experience, we’re all waiting to finish on a high but it will take a lot of hard work to get that finish we all so desperately want. We’re looking forward to the challenge, and it’s going to be a good day.”
Louise Dalgliesh (Japan Women):
Last weekend was disappointing. There were areas of the game that we didn’t control the way we should have, including our discipline and defensive work.
“However, we were able to take some critical learnings, to make sure we’re moving forward towards the big picture of the World Cup.
“This week we will be better prepared, knowing where the Irish will try to play from and how they will approach the game. We will be more clear on our defensive responsibilities and make sure we don’t give them the same opportunities and space.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Women Climb To Sixth In World Rankings
‘I’m Just Backing Myself A Lot More’ – Breen
McMahon Expects ‘Well-Drilled’ Japan To Raise Game
From Tullow Minis To Tokyo, O’Brien Leading Talented Crop Of WNTS Players
McKee: Another Week Together, We’ll Be Better With Our Combinations
McWilliams: They Deserve An Opportunity And The Time To Shine
‘Jo’s Added Good Value, She’s A Very Good Player’ – McWilliams
Previous Meetings –
1994: Women’s Rugby World Cup – 7th/8th Place Play-Off: Ireland Women 11 Japan Women 3, Boroughmuir
2002: Women’s Rugby World Cup – 13th/14th Place Play-Off: Ireland Women 23 Japan Women 3, Girona, Barcelona
2004: Autumn Test Match: Ireland Women 55 Japan Women 0, Donnybrook
2017: Women’s Rugby World Cup – Pool C: Ireland Women 24 Japan Women 14, UCD Bowl
2021: Autumn Test: Ireland Women 15 Japan Women 12, RDS Arena
2022: Summer Tour First Test: Japan Women 22 Ireland Women 57, Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka
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