Opta Facts: Women’s Rugby World Cup – Ireland v Japan

Ireland meet Japan for the first time since the 2022 tour as Scott Bemand’s side, led by co-captains Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon, look to put their best foot forward on the Rugby World Cup stage.

Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton is the venue for Sunday’s Pool C opener (kick-off 12pm – live on RTÉ 2 and BBC Two). Tickets are available to buy here. Stats Perform preview Ireland v Japan with their Opta Facts below:

– Japan won their most recent Test match against Ireland (29-10 in August 2022), after losing each of their first six meetings, including three defeats at the Rugby World Cup (1994, 2002, and 2017)

– Ireland wil lparticipate in their eighth Rugby World Cup, and their first since hosting the tournament in 2017. Their highest placing so far came in 2014,when they reached the semi-final stage for the first time

– Ireland have won seven of their last eight Rugby World Cup pool matches, however, the exception came in their most recent pool fixture, losing 21-5 to France in their final pool outing of the 2017 edition

– Japan have won just one of their previous 12 Rugby World Cup pool games (L11), with that victory coming in Scotland, against Sweden, back in 1994 (10-5)

– Japan will be taking part in their sixth Rugby World Cup, and their third consecutive tournament. Their highest placing came in 1994, when they made their only quarter-final appearance

– Ireland made the most turnover-winning tackles per game of any team in this year’s Six Nations (4.0), while Japan averaged the most of any side in the 2024 WXV2 tournament (4.7)

– Ireland retained possession from a higher share of their rucks than any other team in the 2025 Six Nations (97.2%), while Japan had the quickest average attacking ruck speed of any side in WXV2 last year (2.6 seconds)

– Ireand hooker Neve Jones missed just one of her 202 tackle attempts in last season’s Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign, with her 99.5% success rate being the highest among the 250 players to attempt at least 30 tackles. Her Ireland team-mate, Edel McMahon, had the second best rate (97.6%)

– Aoife Wafer made the most carries of any player in the 2025 Six Nations (70), also making the most in-contact metres of any player (150)

– Wafer was also one of two players to make 50+ carries in last year’s WXV1 tournament (53, also Rachel Johnson), and was the only forward to beat 10+ defenders (16)

– Japan captain Iroha Nagata made the most tackles of any player in WXV2 in 2024 (50), with three of those tackles winning a turnover for her side, the joint-most of any player (also Evie Gallagher and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi)

– Nagata also ranked joint-first for lineout takes in the competition (22, also Vainah Ubisi)