Hear firsthand insights from Japanese national rugby player Tamai Kie and leading rugby editor and writer Tamura Kazuhiro, as they dive into the evolving world of women’s rugby in Japan and share their hopes for the tournament. The talk includes an introduction to the history of women’s rugby in Japan, from its grassroots origins in the 1980s to the present day, by exploring the rapid development of both the Sakura Sevens (Japan women’s sevens national team) and the Sakura Fifteen (Japan women’s 15s national team).
Previewing the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the speakers discuss how the Sakura Fifteen has been preparing since the last Rugby World Cup, the strengths of the current team, the key players and expectations for the team after the tournament finishes.
They also explore various differences between the women’s game in Japan and UK, based on Tamai’s experience of moving to the UK to play for Trailfinders Women in Premiership Women’s Rugby, the world’s best women’s rugby league.
About the speakers:
Tamai Kie
Born in Matsusaka city, Mie Prefecture, Tamai began her athletic career in basketball before switching to rugby in her final year of high school in 2010. She played for the Kansai Gakuin University Rugby Club, training alongside 125 male players as the only female athlete. After passing the teaching certification exam in 2016, she became a junior high school English teacher while also joining the newly formed women’s rugby team PEARLS. The team went on to claim four national titles by 2019 in Japan’s premier women’s rugby sevens tournaments. That year, Tamai was selected for the 15-a-side Japan national team. She captained Japan’s team in a 2022 test match and competed in the Rugby World Cup 2021 (held in 2022 in New Zealand). She currently plays for the Ealing Trailfinders, a top-tier women’s rugby club in the UK.
Tamura Kazuhiro
After graduation from high school, he moved from Kagoshima to study at Waseda University in Tokyo. Tamura began playing rugby at Waseda University’s GW Rugby Club, where he played the position of hooker.
He joined Baseball Magazine in 1989 and was assigned to the editorial team of Rugby Magazine. After spending four years (starting in 1993) with the Weekly Baseball editorial department, he became Editor-in-Chief of Rugby Magazine in 1997.
He retired in January 2024 and is currently working as the editor-in-chief and writer for the web magazine Just RUGBY.
About the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) The Japan Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby in Japan. As a member of World Rugby and Asia Rugby, JRFU works to promote the sport nationwide, foster international exchange, and strengthen Japan’s national teams. Its activities include organizing international matches, nationwide tournaments, and training programs for players, coaches, and referees, all while encouraging sportsmanship and expanding the rugby community across Japan.
The event is organized in collaboration with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU)
Booking Essential | Admission Free
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