Wako Kitano
 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (October 2025) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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| Born | 8 September 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 92 kg (203 lb; 14 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wako Kitano (born 8 September 1999) is a Japanese rugby union player. She competed for Japan at the 2021 and 2025 Women's Rugby World Cups.
Early career
[edit]Kitano started playing rugby in Junior high school.[1] She attended Kobe Kohoku High School after discovering that they had a girl's rugby club.[1] She graduated High school in 2018 and entered Ryukoku University.[1] She also graduated from Ryutsu Keizai University in 2022.
Rugby career
[edit]On 13 July 2019, she made her international debut for Japan, she started in the match against Australia during their Australian tour.[1]
In 2022, she joined the Mie Pearls.[1][2] In September that year, she was selected in the Japanese squad to the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[3][4]
She scored one of eleven tries in Japan's 72–0 trouncing of Kazakhstan in the 2023 Asia Rugby Championship.[5] In 2024, she scored the first try for the Sakura's in their 17–17 draw against the United States in Kitakyushu.[6][7]
On 28 July 2025, she was named in the Japanese side to the Women's Rugby World Cup in England.[8][9] She scored a try in their final game of the tournament against Spain.[10][11]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 "北野 和子 | ラグビー女子日本代表選手名鑑 | 日本代表 | ラグビー | J SPORTS【公式】". www.jsports.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ Anene, Geoffrey (2022-04-04). "Kenya Lionesses star lands in Japan for pro rugby". Daily Nation. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ "RWC 2022 – USA vs Japan – ARN Guide". Americas Rugby News. 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ Mockford, Sarah (2022-10-22). "Japan Women's Rugby World Cup Squad 2022 – Japan 8-21 Italy". Rugby World. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ Burke, Patrick (2023-05-28). "Japan lift Asia Rugby Women's Championship title in Almaty". Archived from the original on 2024-03-05. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ "USA draws with Japan in first tour match". Americas Rugby News. 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ Goff, Alex (2024-08-11). "USA Women Tie Japan in Kitakyusho". www.goffrugbyreport.com. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ "Japan announce squad for women's RWC 2025". Rugby World Cup. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ↑ "Sakura Fifteen Rugby World Cup Squad Announced". Japan Rugby Football Union. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ↑ Wheeler, Grace (2025-09-07). "Japan 29-21 Spain: Japan finish Women's Rugby World Cup on high". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ↑ "Japan Sakura Fifteen End Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 On a High With Rare But Deserved Win". RugbyAsia247. 2025-09-07. Retrieved 2025-10-11.