WXV 2: All the opening round team news as Malinga returns for Springbok Women

WXV 2 2024 will get underway this Friday as hosts South Africa take on Japan at DHL Stadium (kick-off 16:00, GMT+2).

On Saturday, Australia and Wales – who both competed in WXV 1 in 2023 – meet at the same stadium, kick-off 12:30, before defending champions Scotland take on the team they edged on points difference last year, Italy at 15:00.

Get all the team news for the opening WXV 2 matches below as and when it drops.

South Africa v Japan

Ayanda Malinga will make her first Test appearance in more than two years when South Africa get their WXV 2 campaign underway against Japan on Friday.

Sevens star Malinga last featured in a Test in August 2022 when she scored two tries to help the Springbok Women to a 44-5 defeat of Spain in Johannesburg.

That performance took her tally to 10 tries in only eight appearances for South Africa but she has since focused her energies on the sevens circuit, where she has been a regular in the green jersey.

Malinga made her 15s return earlier this month in a non-cap match against Barbarians Women in Cape Town and she has earned selection for the opening match of WXV 2, coming in for the injured Shaunique Hess.

Experienced prop Babalwa Latsha is the only other change to the starting XV that beat Spain 36-19 at the same venue last Thursday. Azisa Mkiva drops to the bench.

Japan coach Lesley McKenzie, meanwhile, has made four personnel changes from her side’s warm-up defeat to Italy in Piacenza earlier this month.

Tighthead prop Wako Kitano comes into the front row, while there is a start at number eight for Japan’s most-capped woman Seina Saito.

In the backs, Ayasa Otsuka is back at fly-half having started against Italy at inside centre, while Haruka Hirotsu takes the number 12 jersey and Misaki Matsumura is selected on the right wing.

South Africa: 15. Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 14. Jakkie Cilliers, 13. Eloise Webb, 12. Chumisa Qawe, 11. Ayanda Malinga, 10. Nadine Roos, 9. Tayla Kinsey, 1. Sanelisiwe Charlie, 2. Lindelwa Gwala, 3. Babalwa Latsha, 4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain), 5. Vainah Ubisi, 6. Sizophila Solontsi, 7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 8. Aseza Hele.

Replacements: 16. Micke Gunter, 17. Yonela Ngxingolo, 18. Azisa Mkiva, 19. Danelle Lochner, 20. Catha Jacobs, 21. Anathi Qolo, 22. Unam Tose, 23. Zintle Mpupha.

Japan: 15. Sora Nishimura, 14. Misaki Matsumura, 13. Mana Furuta, 12. Haruka Hirotsu, 11. Komachi Imakugi, 10. Ayasa Otsuka, 9. Moe Tsukui, 1. Sachiko Kato, 2. Kotomi Taniguchi, 3. Wako Kitano, 4. Yuna Sato, 5. Otoka Yoshimura, 6. Masami Kawamura, 7. Iroha Nagata (captain), 8. Seina Sato.

Replacements: Asuka Kuge, 17. Manami Mine, 18. Nijiho Nagata, 19. Kyoko Hosokawa, 20. Jennifer Nduka, 21. Megumi Abe, 22. Rinka Matsuda, 23. Kanako Kobayashi.