The short version
- Wales defeated Japan at the Principality Stadium, securing a bonus-point win despite an unconvincing performance marked by handling errors and set-piece failures.
- Louis Rees-Zammit scored his first try in eight internationals, contributing to a strong ball-carrying display that anchored the Welsh attack alongside Eddie James and Blair Murray.
- Head coach Steve Tandy faces scrutiny over six lost line-outs and poor discipline, even as Wales remains fifth in the northern hemisphere standings of the Nations Championship.
Wales concluded their recent Nations Championship fixture with a victory against Japan at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The match ended with a final score that reflected a hard-fought contest, where the home side managed to secure a bonus point despite displaying significant inconsistencies throughout the ninety minutes. Louis Rees-Zammit played a pivotal role in the outcome, scoring a try that marked his first in eight international appearances and bringing his total tally to seventeen tries across forty-four caps. His performance was central to Wales maintaining their position in the competition standings.
The first half saw Wales establish a lead through tries from prop Archie Griffin, wing Josh Adams, and Rees-Zammit. Griffin’s score was particularly notable as it was his first Test try, achieved despite having missed training on the day prior to the match. Sam Costelow successfully converted three of the Welsh scores, helping build a twenty-one-to-fourteen advantage by halftime. However, Japan responded effectively during this period, with flanker Ben Gunter and lock Warner Dearns crossing the line to keep the visitors within striking distance.
The second half proved tense, characterized by Wales struggling to maintain control over possession and discipline. Josh Adams scored a second try for the hosts, but Japan’s replacement player Kenta Fukuda also crossed for his side, ensuring Japan secured a losing bonus point. The finale was frantic, with Wales surviving late pressure to hold on for the win. This result mirrors a previous narrow victory against Japan twelve months ago, which was decided by a last-minute penalty from Jarrod Evans.
Despite the positive result, head coach Steve Tandy has reasons for concern regarding his team’s execution. The Welsh line-out malfunctioned significantly, with six throws lost during the match. One notable incident involved an attacking set-piece play just five meters from the Japanese try line being thwarted by a throw that was not straight. Additionally, Wales committed several indiscipline penalties and wasted attacking opportunities due to handling errors, including five knock-ons in the opening fifteen minutes alone.
Rees-Zammit’s return to his preferred wing position after previously filling in at full-back appeared to rejuvenate his game. He delivered a searing early break that set the tone for the match and was instrumental in several key phases. His performance, along with strong ball-carrying displays from full-back Blair Murray, back-row players Morgan and Wainwright, and centre Eddie James, provided the backbone of the Welsh attack. Rees-Zammit was named player of the match for his contributions.
Tandy made significant changes to the squad, naming a record nine English-based club players in the starting lineup. Six of these players were from the forward pack, and twelve of the twenty-three-man squad were based outside of Wales. This represented seven alterations from the team that suffered a forty-three-to-zero defeat against South Africa in July. The coaching staff also fielded one of their largest centre combinations ever, featuring Eddie James and Max Llewellyn, who had not started together at Test level before.
Japan, coached by Eddie Jones, faced their own challenges with the absence of Ryunosuke Ito due to university commitments. This led to a debut for third-choice fly-half Riku Kitahara, who partnered with co-captain Naoto Saito in the half-back pairing. Japan had previously defeated Italy but lost to Ireland and France earlier in the tournament. Their performance against Wales showed resilience, particularly in stealing possession from breakdowns and capitalizing on Welsh errors.
The match was attended by 52,425 supporters, a figure that exceeded the attendance of the opening match against Argentina last November by two thousand but fell short of the crowd that watched the previous encounter with Japan in Cardiff in 2025. Wales currently sits in fifth place in the northern hemisphere table after starting the tournament with a win over Fiji and losses to Argentina and South Africa.
Looking ahead, Wales will host New Zealand next Saturday before concluding their regular league campaign against Australia. The final standings will determine the matchups for the three-day finals weekend at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham later in November. If the current table positions remain unchanged, Wales is set to face Japan again for the fifth-placed finish. This would mark the fourth meeting between the two nations in just sixteen months.
The contrast in performances highlights the ongoing development phase for both teams under their respective coaches. While Wales secured a vital win, the underlying issues with set-pieces and discipline suggest that consistency remains a challenge. Japan’s ability to stay competitive despite missing key players indicates their growing strength in the international arena. The upcoming fixtures will test whether Wales can refine their execution or if these vulnerabilities will continue to impact their results.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC Sport↗Wales labour to bonus-point win against Japan
