Wales hold firm to beat Japan and end 18-game losing streak

Wales fought their way to a gutsy 31-22 win over Japan to end a two-year, 18-game game losing streak in Kobe on Saturday.

The downbeat visitors, who were dealing with the reality of holding the longest losing streak by a major test rugby team in the professional era, showed their resolve with a tenacious display that eclipsed their highly-confident hosts.

The hosts made four changes with Kubota Spears tight-head prop Keijiro Tamefusa coming for free agent Shuhei Takeuchi, his club captain Faulua Makisi taking over from Amato Fakatava and Toulouse’s Top 14 winner Naoto Saito being named at scrum-half with Shinobu Fujiwara dropping to the bench.

In-form Kubota Halatoa Vailea, who impressed with a try-scoring first cap off the bench in Kitakyushu, was selected ahead of Malo Tuitama on the left-wing.

Wales also shuffled their line-up, making five changes in total as interim head coach Matt Sherratt resisted wholesale changes despite a disappointing collapse in the second-half in their 18^th loss in a row.

Overmatched tight-head prop Keiron Assiratti lost his place to Bath’s Archie Griffin. 

Gloucester’s Freddie Thomas deputised for injured lock Ben Carter while the Dragons’ Aaron Wainwright came in for Taulupe Faletau who struggled with cramp post-match in the first Test.

Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow dropped out of the squad completely with Ospreys youngster Dan Edwards given the nod for his first start for his country.

Fighting to avenge a 24-19 loss from the first Test, Wales made a promising start and made a breakthrough after nine minutes when centre Ben Thomas found livewire Blair Murray who played in the 2019 World Cup top try scorer Josh Adams. Edwards slotted the conversion.  

The visitors continued to dominate possession as they did in the first Test and the highly impressive Murray gained further territory with a pinpoint 50:22 kick from just outside his own 22.

After the first water break, Adams almost had a second following a kick through from the hard-working Wainwright after the ball came loose, but, having outpaced the Japanese defenders, Adams coughed up the ball five metres from the try line.  

Picture courtesy of JRFU

Japan playmaker Lee Seung-sin, who was playing at his club Kobe Steelers’ home ground, registered the hosts on the scoreboard after 24 minutes with a penalty straight through the posts.

Wales rallied back and on the half hour mark, scrum-half Kieran Hardy clawed his way over the whitewash after being tackled just short of the try line. Edwards converted to extend he lead to 11 points.

With Japan trailing 3-14 and Kubota’s Faulua Makisi receiving a yellow card, Adams turned provider as a quick lineout from the visitors caught Japan napping and the Cardiff man stepped inside and found Hardy who sprinted over for his second try.

Eddie Jones reacted to Wales threatening to run away with the game by changing his entire front row after 37 minutes.

The changes instantly paid dividends as tight-head prop Shuhei Takeuchi, who is in negotiations with Pro D2 side Grenoble, found his way over for a crucial score before the break. Lee added the extra two points to cut the deficit with Japan going into the changing rooms 10-21 down.  

Wales replaced try scorer Adams with debuting Ospreys speedster Keelan Giles who finally stepped onto the field for his country after first being called up for a tour to New Zealand in 2016.

Kobe lock Waisake Raratubua replaced Mitsubishi Dynaboars’ Epineri Uluiviti.

Edwards continued to show his composure and kicked a penalty to increase Wales’ advantage to 14 points.

Hurricanes-bound lock Warner Dearns brought Japan back into the game after a TMO review adjudged that he had not been held up and Lee added the conversion.   Japan grew in confidence and put Wales on the backfoot as they looked capable of another stirring second-half comeback and Wales’ defence was creaking.  

Picture courtesy of JRFU

Saitama Wild Knights’ world-class outside-centre Dylan Riley (above) reacted first to a loose ball, gathering and sprinting clear to put the hosts on the brink of another dramatic turnaround. Lee’s conversion after 62 minutes brought Japan to within two points of Wales.

The visitors, however, held firm and sealed their first win since the 2023 World Cup when Edwards capped off a memorable first start by scoring his first try for his country after 75 minutes and kicked the conversion for a momentous 31-22 victory.

An emotional Matt Sherratt said: “It’s emotional there's a reason why I’ve done it again. I’m so pleased for the lads. Credit to all the staff and support staff, the coaches and everyone who came before me.”

Wales captain Dewi Lake said: “It’s an amazing feeling. It’s been a long time coming. I look back at tough results we’ve had over the last 18 months. We was in the driving seat last week and we let it slip. To dig in today and get the job done is an amazing feeling.”

A visibly frustrated Eddie Jones said: "If we want to be a top 10 team in the world, and we do, we have to have the balance right between running and kicking. In the second-half we changed the balance. We ran the ball more and looked more dangerous.

“For a number of players, when you play a 1st Test, you're full of adrenaline. Playing so quickly in a 2nd Test takes an emotional reset. We talked about how we needed to start with a high intensity. I'll look at how we prepared. Some players struggled emotionally.

"I think Fujiwara played very well. He's developing into a very good, reliable half-back. We thought Naoto offered more experience around the ruck but he didn't get many opportunities. Saito was satisfactory & Fujiwara did well in the 2nd half."  Japan (1-15): Yota KAMIMORI, Mamoru HARADA, Keijiro TAMEFUSA, Epineri ULUIVITI, Warner DEARNS, Michael LEITCH (c), Jack CORNELSEN, Faulua MAKISI, Naoto SAITO, Seungsin LEE, Halatoa VAILEA, Shogo NAKANO, Dylan RILEY, Kippei ISHIDA, Ichigo NAKAKUSU  

Replacements: Hayate ERA, Sena KIMURA, Shuhei TAKEUCHI, Waisake RARATUBUA, Ben GUNTER, Shinobu FUJIWARA, Sam GREENE, Kazuma UEDA

Wales (1-15): Nicky SMITH, Dewi LAKE (c), Archie GRIFFIN, Freddie THOMAS, Teddy WILLIAMS, Alex MANN, Josh MACLEOD, Aaron WAINWRIGHT, Kieran HARDY, Dan EDWARDS, Josh ADAMS, Ben THOMAS, Johnny WILLIAMS, Tom ROGERS, Blair MURRAY  

Replacements: Liam BELCHER, Gareth THOMAS, Chris COLEMAN, James RATTI, Taine PLUMTREE, Tommy REFFELL, Reuben MORGAN-WILLIAMS, Keelan GILES