Some of the brightest talents in the Women’s National Talent Squad will combine with a core group of experienced players as Ireland kick off their historic summer tour with an opening showdown with Japan in Shizuoka.
2022 SUMMER TOUR FIRST TEST: Saturday, August 20
JAPAN WOMEN v IRELAND WOMEN, Ecopa Stadium, Fukuroi City, Shizuoka, 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 first Test against Japan at Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi city.
The summer tour is a valuable window for McWilliams and his coaching team to develop squad depth, build cohesion and expose a number of young players to the international arena.
With that in mind, there are four uncapped players included in the starting XV – captained by Nichola Fryday – and a further two set for their debuts off the bench.
Méabh Deely, Natasja Behan (pictured below), Aoife Dalton and Dannah O’Brien all start in the back-line, while second row Taryn Schutzler and centre Leah Tarpey are named among the replacements for the eagerly-awaited clash with the Sakura Fifteen.
It has been a breakthrough summer for full-back Deely, who in June made her Ireland Sevens debut at the opening leg of the Rugby Europe Championship in Lisbon.
Behan earns her first cap on the right wing having been in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations squad earlier this year. Aoife Doyle completes the Ireland back three.
The 19-year-old Dalton, who along with O’Brien and Tarpey completed the Leaving Certificate in June, starts in midfield alongside Enya Breen, with out-half O’Brien partnering Ailsa Hughes at half-back.
Dalton, O’Brien and Tarpey are all part of the Women’s National Talent Squad (WNTS) and having first trained with McWilliams’ national panel back in February and then further impressed during the summer programme, earn their opportunity in green this weekend.
There is an experienced and powerful look to the pack with Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Katie O’Dwyer named to start together in the front row.
Skipper Fryday and Sam Monaghan pair up in the second row, and loose forwards Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon and Hannah O’Connor complete the starting line-up.
McWilliams has a number of strong options to come off the bench if required, including Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse, Christy Haney, Schutzler and Grace Moore up front, and Nicole Cronin, Tarpey and Molly Scuffil-McCabe in the backs.
Speaking ahead of the game, McWilliams said: “Our extended squad of 51 players have worked incredibly hard all summer and we have got through a really pleasing body of work since arriving in Japan last Friday.
“The players have adapted brilliantly to difficult conditions and it has been a good week of preparation for us.
It is a hugely exciting time for everyone involved in the programme as we prepare to face Japan in these two summer Tests and for us, it’s all about hard work, development and opportunity.
“With that in mind, it is exciting to include a number of young players this weekend and we are all looking forward to seeing them pull on the green jersey having worked so hard over the last couple of months.
“Saturday marks another important staging post on our journey as a group and we will come up against a really strong Japan side who are finalising their preparations for the Rugby World Cup.
“We will learn and grow through this experience and that is invaluable for us.”
Saturday’s match 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, captained by prop Saki Minami, Japan are seeking their fifth win in five matches and a slice of revenge for last November’s 15-12 defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
Japanese head coach Lesley McKenzie also brings in flanker Kyoko Hosokawa and 22-year-old scrum half Moe Tsukui, who both last played for the national team against Australia back in May.
Second row Misaki Suzuki reaches the 30-cap milestone, a mark which Seina Saito could match off the bench. The Mie Pearls utility forward scored three tries during the recent two-game series against South Africa.
As part of their Rugby World Cup build-up, Japan’s two most recent outings saw them beat the Springbok Women 15-6 in Kamaishi before losing the second fixture, going down 20-10 in Kumagaya.
There are eight players in Saturday’s selected XV who started last year’s encounter with Ireland. Half-backs Ayasa Otsuka and Tsukui feature again, as do full-back Ria Anoku and Arukas Queen Kumagaya winger Komachi Imakugi, the youngest member of the team at 20.
Nijiho Nagata, Kie Tamai, Misaki Suzuki and Ayano Nagai are the four forwards retained, while there is a mix of youth and experience on the bench. 19-year-old outside back Sakurako Korai is poised to win her second cap.
JAPAN WOMEN: Ria Anoku (Mie Pearls); Riho Kurogi (Arukas Queen Kumagaya), Rinka Matsuda (Nippon Sport Science University), Shione Nakayama (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Komachi Imakugi (Arukas Queen Kumagaya/Rissho University); Ayasa Otsuka (RKU Grace), Moe Tsukui (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars); Saki Minami (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars) (capt), Nijiho Nagata (International Budo University), Yuka Sadaka (Hirosaki Sakura Ovals), Kie Tamai (Mie Pearls), Maki Takano (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Misaki Suzuki (Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix), Kyoko Hosokawa (Mie Pearls), Ayano Nagai (Yokohama TKM).
Replacements: Hinata Komaki (Nippon Sport Science University), Kotomi Taniguchi (Mie Pearls), Makoto Lavemai (Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars), Masami Kawamura (RKU Grace), Seina Saito (Mie Pearls), Megumi Abe (Arukas Queen Kumagaya), Minori Yamamoto (Mie Pearls), Sakurako Korai (Nippon Sport Science University).
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); Linda Djougang (TBC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Taryn Schutzler (Saracens/Ulster), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster).
Referee: Lauren Jenner (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Tasuku Kawahara, Eri Kamimura (both Japan)
Pre-Match Quotes – Nichola Fryday (Ireland Women):
To be honest, the Tuesday and Wednesday were probably the toughest (training) sessions I’ve ever had, in terms of the rugby we played and in terms of the heat.
“But it’s been the most rewarding week, I think. Everything is starting to come together for us in terms of plays, and the new girls coming into the squad. You couldn’t have asked for more from them.
“They’ve just thrown themselves in head-first to try to absorb and take on as much as they can. It’s stood to them because there are a lot of them in the starting squad and on the bench as well.
“It kind of shows that if you come in and fully immerse yourself into this environment and work hard, you’ll get your rewards.”
Neve Jones (Ireland Women):
Japan are going to play a fast tempo game, they’ll want to move the ball and keep it alive. Personally, I’m not that big a player, but loads of the players on the team are strong athletes, and I’m going to say they’ll want to keep the ball away from our ball-makers.
“But we’ll put our best foot forward, and show them that Ireland are here for a fight, and we’re here to play some rugby. Any rugby match brings challenges, and yes, we’re prepared, and yes, we’re ready to go.
“But a rugby match is a rugby match and things chop and change as they go. That’s one part I love, to see what they bring and hopefully we’ll smash it out of the park and enjoy ourselves.”
Pre-Match Links –
McWilliams Enthused By Young Emerging Talent
Fryday: It’s Been A Really Positive Few Months
Breen: I Wouldn’t Be Where I Am Without Sene’s Guidance
‘A Tour Like This Is Invaluable With What You Can Get Out Of It’ – O’Dwyer
In Pics: Ireland Captain’s Run In Shizuoka
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 0, 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
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