Japan duo get Super Rugby contracts

01/28/2025 03:36 AM

NEWS: Japanese pair Mio Yamanaka and Megumi Takagi will join the Western Force as the side prepares for the 2025 Super Rugby Women season.

Yamanaka is a 29-year-old Japanese two-time Olympic Sevens player, who recently converted to 15-a-side. She is a scrumhalf who played for Mie Pearls against the Force during the side's Japan Tour in October and November.

Experienced loosehead prop Takagi joins the Force from Japanese partner Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix as part of the two club's exchange program. She is an experienced front-rower, who also played against the Force in their Japan Tour.

Takagi follows the same path set by front rower Natsuki Kashiwagi and Hinata Komaki, who were unavailable to return to the Force from the Phoenix this year.

The Japanese duo will join the Force in February for pre-season once the Women's Japan Rugby League One concludes with both set to play in Sunday's Grand Final for their respective sides.

Force women's head coach Dylan Parsons said: "Once we knew we weren't able to bring Natsuki back for 2025, we had to look for a suitable replacement to make sure we've got good squad depth in our front row.

"Through our partnership with the Phoenix, we had some discussion about Megu. We saw her first hand in Japan and what we really liked was her work off the ball.

"She's a dynamic and mobile prop which suits the Super W competition. We really like what the Japanese players bring with their discipline, attention to detail, good character and work ethic.

"We had a meeting with her and it's a really good fit. It's a no-brainer working with the Phoenix as our partner.

"We know through experience that the type of players we get from them are a high level and great people as well who'll fit our culture."

Yamanaka played for Japan at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as well as with the Japanese national team at the HSBC SVNS in Perth last year where she met Parsons who worked as a local team liaison.

Parsons said: "She's got great energy which caught our attention. She's really fit, dynamic and possesses great skills. With her Sevens experience, Mio has a great eye for seeing space.

"She's going to bring that rugby smarts, discipline and we know she'll work hard to understand how we play.

"We played against her with the Pearls and she'd just committed to 15s from that period. We then followed her games and had conversations recently to come over.

"We're delighted to bring her over and add depth to our scrumhalf options for the 2025 season."

The Force opens their 2025 Super W season on Saturday,  March 1 against the Brumbies.

2025 Western Force women's squad

Adi Vani Buleki, Georgia Cormick, Halley Derera, Nami Dickson, Rosie Ebbage, Zoe Elliott, Grace Freeman, Haylee Hifo, Sheree Hume, Tamika Jones, Nicole Ledington, Michaela Leonard, Loretta Mailangi, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Ashley Marsters, Ngamihi Monk, Sera Naiqama, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Trilleen Pomare, Allana Sikimeti, Cecilia Smith, Anneka Stephens, Megumi Takagi, Pia Tapsell, Libya Teepa, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Braxton Walker, Samantha Wood, Mio Yamanaka