Wales labour to bonus-point win against Japan
Wales beat Japan 28-21 at the Principality Stadium in the Nations Championship.
Wales secured a bonus-point victory against Japan at the Principality Stadium. Louis Rees-Zammit, Archie Griffin and Josh Adams scored tries as Wales remained fifth in the northern hemisphere table.
Key takeaways
- Wales beat Japan 28-21 at the Principality Stadium.
- Louis Rees-Zammit was player-of-the-match.
- Japan secured a losing bonus point through Kenta Fukuda.
Wales resumed their Nations Championship campaign with an unconvincing bonus-point victory against Japan at the Principality Stadium, BBC Sport reported.
Tries from prop Archie Griffin, wing Josh Adams and the rejuvenated Louis Rees-Zammit gave Wales a 21-14 half-time lead, with Japan responding with scores from flanker Ben Gunter and lock Warner Dearns.
In a nervy second half, Adams scored his second try before Japan replacement Kenta Fukuda ensured the visitors finished with a losing bonus point and presented a frantic finale which the hosts survived.
What we know
Wales secured a fourth win for head coach Steve Tandy in 13 internationals. The victory mirrored the last-gasp Jarrod Evans penalty that sealed a one-point win against Japan 12 months ago.
Tandy named nine English-based club players in his starting side, including six of the pack, with 12 of the 23-strong squad based outside of Wales, with seven alterations from the 43-0 defeat to South Africa in July.
Wales were indebted to strong ball-carrying performances from player-of-the-match Rees-Zammit, full-back Blair Murray, back-row duo Morgan and Wainwright and centre Eddie James.
Sloppy Wales lucky to prevail against spirited Japan
Tandy should be very concerned about their malfunctioning line-out with six lost, the way they allowed Japan to stay in the game, worrying indiscipline, and wasting attacking opportunities with silly handling errors, BBC Sport reported.
The game was played in front of 52,425 supporters, which was 2,000 more than the opening match against Argentina last November but 9,000 down on the attendance that watched the match against Japan in Cardiff in 2025.
Why it matters
Wales stay in fifth place after returning to the inaugural international competition. They had started the tournament in July with a home win over Fiji and defeats in Argentina and South Africa, while Japan had defeated Italy but lost to Ireland and France. Wales and Japan have been frequent opponents in recent times, with this representing the fourth meeting between the two nations in 16 months.
What happens next
Wales host New Zealand next Saturday before finishing the regular league campaign against Australia, while Japan will travel to face England and Scotland. Allianz Stadium in Twickenham will then host a three-day finals weekend at the end of November. If the tables stay the same, Wales will play Japan again for the fifth-placed finish in south-west London.
Wales scoring and match details
Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
Wales tries | Griffin, Adams 2, Rees-Zammit |
Wales conversions | Costelow 3, Edwards |
Final score | Wales 28-21 Japan |
Half-time score | Wales 21-14 Japan |
Attendance | 52,425 |
Japan scorers | Ben Gunter, Warner Dearns, Kenta Fukuda |
By the numbers
Louis Rees-Zammit scored his 17th tries in 44 internationals. Wales secured a fourth win in 13 internationals under Steve Tandy. This was the fourth meeting between Wales and Japan in 16 months.
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