Japan score late try to extend Wales’ winless run

Summer tour first Test: Japan v Wales

Japan (7) 24

Tries: Matsunaga, Nakakusu, Vailea Cons: Lee 3 Pens: Lee

Wales (19) 19

Wales’ record losing international run extended to 18 games as they were beaten 24-19 by Japan in extremely hot and humid conditions in Kitakyushu.

The tourists led 19-7 at the break, but wilted in the intense conditions in a match that took two hours to complete.

There were water breaks in each half and an extended half-time period to cope with the extreme weather with players wearing ice hats to cool down.

Japan coped better with the conditions and scored all the second-half points with Halatoa Vailea crashing over from a close-range line-out in the 71st-minute to claim the win for Eddie Jones’ side.

After losing lock Ben Carter to injury after only 24 seconds, Wales took the initiative through tries from from Ben Thomas, Tom Rogers and a penalty try, but they faded badly in the searing heat.

It was a second victory for Japan against Wales with head coach Jones also masterminding the first in 2013.

The defeat means Wales have fallen to a new low and they are now without a Test win in 21 months and have slipped two places to an all-time low of 14th in the world rankings, below Japan and Samoa.

The game kicked off at 14:00 local time and with temperatures reaching 34C with a very high humidity reading, the players were given a three-minute water break in the middle of each half, while the interval was extended from 15 to 20 minutes.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had enquired about delaying the kick-off until later in the day so conditions would be cooler, but Japan wanted to play at this time.

Home coach Jones had said whoever dealt with the conditions better would win and that he hoped for a hot day because the hosts would try to “run Wales off their feet”.

The water break and extended half-time measures are being taken under World Rugby’s updated heat and air quality guidelines, to support players playing in hot conditions.

The half-time extension was applied because conditions were deemed the second-most severe reading, with the next step being to consider “delaying or suspending the game”.

That never materialised, but the excruciating conditions played a part in the length and quality of the contest.

Kitakyushu had been Wales’ training base for the 2019 World Cup with the local population taking Warren Gatland’s squad to its heart.

More than 15,000 locals had crammed into the stadium just to watch Wales train before the home supporters launched into a rendition of the nation anthem.

Six years later there was again a capacity crowd this time to watch what was only the second rugby international to be staged at the venue.

Cardiff coach Sherratt was again in caretaker charge after he had been brought into lead Wales for the final three Six Nations games after Gatland’s departure in February.

He made 11 changes to the side that lost 68-14 to England in Cardiff with flankers Josh Macleod and Alex Mann, lock Teddy Williams scrum-half Kieran Hardy and centre Johnny Williams rewarded for strong domestic form.

Carter, who missed the 2024 autumn internationals and 2025 Six Nations because of injury, lasted only 24 seconds on his international return.

He was injured while making a tackle and after a lengthy stoppage, was taken off on a stretcher. James Ratti came on in his place, with both sides having to regroup.

Wales responded with a well-worked move that allowed Taulupe Faletau to provide a simple try-scoring pass to Thomas with Costelow converting.

Some more incisive attacking saw Adams burst down the left-hand side with his inside grubber kick almost finding scrum-half Hardy.

Wales had the early upper hand in the scrum, but their line-out was struggling and Japan capitalised on their first opportunity with a well-worked try for full-back Matsunga.

Scarlets midfield man Williams, who was back in Test rugby after an absence of almost two years, formed an eighth different Wales centre partnership in nine games this season.

Williams is more used to playing at inside centre but his defensive inexperience in the wider channel was exposed as Japan produced a fine attacking move, involving new cap Kippei Ishida before Matsunaga crossed.

Lee converted and it was 7-7 at the first water break after 20 minutes where Wales players used ice hats and towels to cool themselves.

Wales rallied and a clever kick from Hardy resulted in replacement wing Ichigo Nakakusu slapping the ball deliberately out of play to deny Adams a try-scoring opportunity and resulted in a penalty try and a yellow card.

Wales took advantage of their extra man after another fine Faletau break released the backs and wing Rogers scored in the corner.

The hosts responded with number eight Amato Fakatava denied by a last-ditch tackle by Ben Thomas.

The 40-minute first half lasted more than an hour with all the stoppages but Wales led by 12 points as both sets of players almost staggered off the field.

Sherratt had stated the importance of his 23-man selection as he introduced experienced replacement forwards Gareth Thomas, Tommy Reffell and Aaron Wainwright compared to six uncapped Japan players on the hosts’ bench.

But after the second-half water break, it was a Japan replacement in Nakakusu, who crossed after fine work from the home forwards, with captain Leitch at the forefront of the comeback.

Lee converted and slotted over a penalty to reduce the deficit to two points, although Japan could have taken the lead if a try for Ben Gunter was not ruled out for a forward pass from Cornelsen.

Cardiff captain Liam Belcher came on for his international debut when he replaced Lake, but Japan were preying on Wales’ indiscipline, poor line-out and general fatigue.

Japan took the lead for the first time through a try from Vailea with Lee again converting.

Japan: Takuro Matsunaga; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Malo Tuitama; Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara; Yota Kamimori, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi, Epineri Uluiviti, Warner Deans, Michael Leitch (capt), Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava.

Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Keijiro Tamefusa, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shuntaro Kitamura, Ichigo Nakakusu, Halatoa Vailea.

Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Joe Roberts.

Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)

Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England) & Luke Pearce (England)