24 men’s and 16 Women’s teams are preparing for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in San Francisco on 20-22 July. Asia Rugby takes a quick look at the Japanese men and Women’s Squads. Both the Teams are Seeded 11th in their Respective events.
The other 2 qualified Asian teams are Hong Kong Mens and China Women’s Teams are yet to Announce their Squads.
The Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2017 was the qualifying tournament for the #RWCS2018
JAPAN Women (SEEDED 11)
Captain Chiharu Nakamura is one of four survivors from the Japan team that reached the Bowl quarter-final a the last Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow. The 30-year-old, a veteran of five seasons on the world series, is joined by Raichel Bativakalolo, Noriko Taniguchi and Yume Okuroda in featuring at a second tournament.
The remainder of the squad is made up of university students with Yume Hirano the youngest at just 18 years of age. Bativakalolo heads to San Francisco as Japan’s main strike weapon having bagged seven tries in the concluding round of the 2018 series in Paris.
Squad: Yuma Ohkuroda, Fumiko Ohtake, Tomomi Kozasa, Ano Kuwai, Sayaka Suzuki, Yukari Tateyama, Emii Tanaka, Noriko Taniguchi, Honoka Tsutsumi, Chiharu Nakamura, Iroha Nagata, Raichel Bativakalolo, Yume Hirano.
JAPAN Men (SEEDED 11)
Six of the players that helped Japan win the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Qualifier in Hong Kong a few months ago have been rewarded with a place in Kensuke Iwabuchi’s squad. Katsuyuki Sakai, who made his series debut back in 2010-11, along with fellow Olympian Kaemli Soejima and captain Dai Ozawa provide the bulk of the experience in the Asian champions’ 12-man party.
Japan’s only appearance on the 2018 series came in Singapore with Sakai scoring five tries, including doubles against France and Argentina, in a 13th-place finish. Tevita Tupou and Joe Kamana, born three days apart, made their series debuts during that tournament and are poised to make their Rugby World Cup Sevens debut.
Squad: Dai Ozawa, Ryoto Kano, Joe Kamana, Katsuyuki Sakai, Jone Naikabulam Jose Seru, Kameli Raravou Soejima, Tevita Tupou, Kosuke Hashino, Taisei Hayashi, Chihito Matsui, Taichi Yoshizawa, Josefa Lilidamu.
Where to Watch?
In Asia Japan, you can watch all games live on TV Ashhi,
In China CCTV5+ and CCTV digital platform complete Broadcast schedule for China TBC , All the games will be shown live on OSN channels in the middle east,
In Kazakhstan and Kygystan All the games will be shown live on the Eurosport Player, 30 hours live TV broadcast in France on Eurosport TV , All finals broadcast live on Linear TV in each territory
For Full Details Please visit: https://www.rwcsevens.com/where-to-watch
