Japan Women team announcement v Italy

Japan Women team announcement v Italy

Japan coach Lesley McKenzie has named her team for the Rugby World Cup 2021 Pool B match against Italy at Waitakere Stadium on 23 October.



Flankers Iroha Nagata and Kyoko Hosokawa swap sides of the scrum in the only changes to Japan's starting line-up for their final Pool B match against Italy in Auckland on 22 October.
 
 
 
Nagata and Kyoko Hosokawa will wear different numbers on their backs this weekend, with the latter switching to blindside and Nagata to openside
 
 
There are four changes on the bench with prop Makoto Lavemai, second-row Masami Kawamura, flanker Sakurako Korai and centre Shione Nakamura coming in
 
 
 
Kawamura and Korai are set for their Rugby World Cup debuts if called upon
 
 
 
Five of Japan’s starting line-up played against Italy at RWC 2017 in Seina Saito, Saki Minami, Maki Takano, Minori Yamamoto and Iroha Nagata. However, Saito captained the side from hooker and now plays number eight, while Nagata played at outside centre but lines up at openside this weekend/
 
 
 
 
1. Saki Minami (captain)
2. Kotomi Taniguchi
3. Sachiko Kato
4. Yuna Sato
5. Maki Takano
6. Kyoko Hosokawa
7. Iroha Nagata
8. Seina Saito
9. Megumi Abe
10. Ayasa Otsuka
11. Komachi Imakugi
12. Minori Yamamoto
13. Mana Furuta
14. Hinano Nagura
15. Rinka Matsuda

16. Hinata Komaki
17. Makoto Lavemai
18. Otoka Yoshimura
19. Masami Kawamura
20. Sakurako Korai
21. Moe Tsukui
22. Shione Nakayama
23. Ria Anoku

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