Japan v Wales: 10.30am start as Callender prepares for 50th cap
Archive article. Published on Fri 23 Oct, 20:20. Conditions may have changed since this reporting.
Wales women face Japan in Tokyo at 10.30am BST on Saturday 24 October, with co-captain Alex Callender set to win her 50th international cap. The latest WRU team announcement and Japan Rugby Football Union schedule agree on the start: 18.30 in Japan, eight hours ahead of Wales. The match is at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, also known as Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
Saturday 24 October: Japan v Wales
- Kick-off in Wales
- 10.30am BST
- Venue
- Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
- Callender before the match
- 49 caps; named for her 50th
- Next Test
- 31 October, Kumagaya, 7am GMT
Returns in the starting side
Nel Metcalfe returns on the wing after missing the 2026 Women’s Six Nations. Seren Lockwood is back at scrum-half, partnering Keira Bevan at fly-half. Carys Cox moves to outside centre alongside Freya Bell. In the pack, Jorja Aiono starts at lock with Branwen Metcalfe. Callender and Kate Williams continue as co-captains in the back row, with Bryonie King at number eight. The WRU says 12 of the starting players have played Celtic Challenge rugby for Brython Thunder or Gwalia Lightning. Callender made her Wales debut against France in the 2019 Six Nations.
The challenge in Japan
Wales arrive after beating South Africa 50–19 and losing 26–24 to the USA in September. Those two matches produced one win and one defeat, with the latter decided by two points. Sean Lynn’s selection announcement identifies Japan’s speed and width as a different challenge, making game management a focus. The host union has named uncapped Savannah Bodman at number eight and Sophie Akiko Langford at outside centre, with Chihiro Ito among the replacements. Saturday’s game forms part of the JRFU centenary double-header. It is the first of two Tests between these teams, with the return match in Kumagaya on 31 October. The WRU lists that second game at 7am UK time.
Confirmed Wales team
Starting XV: Lisa Neumann; Nel Metcalfe, Carys Cox, Freya Bell, Amy Williams; Keira Bevan, Seren Lockwood; Maisie Davies, Kelsey Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Branwen Metcalfe, Jorja Aiono, Kate Williams, Alex Callender, Bryonie King. Replacements: Molly Reardon, Gwenllian Pyrs, Elan Jones, Gwen Crabb, Georgia Evans, Bethan Lewis, Lleucu George, Courtney Keight. The names above are the confirmed matchday selection. A place on the replacements bench does not guarantee an appearance.