WALES EDGED JAPAN 31-22 in Kobe to end their record 18-game losing streak and pick up their first win since the 2023 World Cup.
A Josh Adams try and a Kieran Hardy double gave the Welsh a half-time lead and Dan Edwards scored another late in the game to kill off Japan’s comeback in 32C conditions under a closed roof.
It was Wales’s first win since they beat Georgia in October 2023, and their losing streak had been a record for a Tier One country in the professional era.
They lost 24-19 to Japan in last week’s first Test after squandering a half-time lead and there was almost a repeat performance.
Japan scored on the stroke of half-time and added two more tries after the break but Edwards, making his first Wales start, scored in the 75th minute to secure the long-awaited win.
Wales started strongly and scored their first try in the ninth minute when Blair Murray broke forward and fed Adams to canter over the line.
Adams came close to adding another midway through the first half when the ball bounced up nicely for him as he chased it towards the try-line, but it slipped from the winger’s grasp and the chance was lost.
Seungsin Lee slotted a penalty to get some points on the board for Japan, before Hardy slithered over the line for Wales’s second try.
Japan’s Faulua Makisi was sent to the sin-bin for an offence in the build-up to the score.
Wales took advantage to score their third try, Adams slicing through the Japan defence before Hardy applied the finishing touch.
Japan hit back at just the right time, substitute Shuhei Takeuchi rumbling over for a try on the half-time hooter to give the hosts hope for the second half.
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Edwards kicked a penalty 10 minutes into the second half but Japan hit back again with a try from Warner Dearns.
Japan scored again three minutes later when Dylan Riley picked off a Welsh pass and raced clear to touch down.
That reduced the deficit to two points but Edwards, winning his third cap, pulled Wales clear with five minutes remaining.
The Welsh win denied Eddie Jones’s Japan their first back-to-back victories over a Tier One nation.
“It’s not the performance we wanted,” said centre Riley.
“We showed some good stuff, some bad stuff but ultimately we couldn’t finish this week.
“We’ll have a bit of a break, reset, come back and back to work,” he added.
Elsewhere, brilliant Fiji capitalised on a red card to wing Darcy Graham to beat Scotland 29-14 in Suva, their first win over the tourists in eight years.
The Fijians scored four tries and dominated a lively contest in hot conditions, sealing victory with a penalty try late in the match when Graham was shown a second yellow card for deliberate offside.
It was only Fiji’s third win over the Scots — all having been achieved in Suva — while Scotland have won the other eight Tests between the two, including last November’s 57-17 triumph in Edinburgh,
Scotland fielded a starting team featuring 14 changes from the side who opened their tour with a 29-26 defeat of the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei a week ago.
Fiji made just two changes from the team beaten 21-18 by Australia in the dying minutes in Newcastle.
Scotland scored a converted try early in each half but otherwise were forced into defence for long periods against a home side who mixed power and skill to good effect.
The Scots, who trailed 15-7 at half-time, missed 36 tackles and gave away 15 penalties.
They made a bright start, creating a try in the third minute for fullback Kyle Rowe.
Their grip on the game slipped when hooker Ewen Ashman was shown a yellow card for a professional foul and experienced flanker Jamie Ritchie was forced from the field with injury.
Fiji out-half Caleb Muntz slotted a penalty and his team took command in the period before half-time after Graham had been sent to the sin-bin for an early tackle.
Captain Tevita Ikanivere gave his team the lead through a lineout drive try before winger Kalaveti Ravouvou capitalised on an overlap to cross in the right corner.
Scotland responded after the interval through a try by centre Tom Jordan.
But a brilliant solo try from winger Jiuta Wainiqolo, followed by the penalty try, when Graham raced off his own line too quickly to intercept a pass, took Fiji to victory.
Referee Ben O’Keeffe deemed the wing had prevented a probable Fijian try.
Scotland complete their three-match Pacific tour when they play Samoa in Auckland on Friday.
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Wales beat Japan 31-22 to end record 18-game losing run
WALES EDGED JAPAN 31-22 in Kobe to end their record 18-game losing streak and pick up their first win since the 2023 World Cup.
A Josh Adams try and a Kieran Hardy double gave the Welsh a half-time lead and Dan Edwards scored another late in the game to kill off Japan’s comeback in 32C conditions under a closed roof.
It was Wales’s first win since they beat Georgia in October 2023, and their losing streak had been a record for a Tier One country in the professional era.
They lost 24-19 to Japan in last week’s first Test after squandering a half-time lead and there was almost a repeat performance.
Japan scored on the stroke of half-time and added two more tries after the break but Edwards, making his first Wales start, scored in the 75th minute to secure the long-awaited win.
Wales started strongly and scored their first try in the ninth minute when Blair Murray broke forward and fed Adams to canter over the line.
Adams came close to adding another midway through the first half when the ball bounced up nicely for him as he chased it towards the try-line, but it slipped from the winger’s grasp and the chance was lost.
Seungsin Lee slotted a penalty to get some points on the board for Japan, before Hardy slithered over the line for Wales’s second try.
Japan’s Faulua Makisi was sent to the sin-bin for an offence in the build-up to the score.
Wales took advantage to score their third try, Adams slicing through the Japan defence before Hardy applied the finishing touch.
Japan hit back at just the right time, substitute Shuhei Takeuchi rumbling over for a try on the half-time hooter to give the hosts hope for the second half.
Edwards kicked a penalty 10 minutes into the second half but Japan hit back again with a try from Warner Dearns.
Japan scored again three minutes later when Dylan Riley picked off a Welsh pass and raced clear to touch down.
That reduced the deficit to two points but Edwards, winning his third cap, pulled Wales clear with five minutes remaining.
The Welsh win denied Eddie Jones’s Japan their first back-to-back victories over a Tier One nation.
“It’s not the performance we wanted,” said centre Riley.
“We showed some good stuff, some bad stuff but ultimately we couldn’t finish this week.
“We’ll have a bit of a break, reset, come back and back to work,” he added.
Elsewhere, brilliant Fiji capitalised on a red card to wing Darcy Graham to beat Scotland 29-14 in Suva, their first win over the tourists in eight years.
The Fijians scored four tries and dominated a lively contest in hot conditions, sealing victory with a penalty try late in the match when Graham was shown a second yellow card for deliberate offside.
It was only Fiji’s third win over the Scots — all having been achieved in Suva — while Scotland have won the other eight Tests between the two, including last November’s 57-17 triumph in Edinburgh,
Scotland fielded a starting team featuring 14 changes from the side who opened their tour with a 29-26 defeat of the Maori All Blacks in Whangarei a week ago.
Fiji made just two changes from the team beaten 21-18 by Australia in the dying minutes in Newcastle.
Scotland scored a converted try early in each half but otherwise were forced into defence for long periods against a home side who mixed power and skill to good effect.
The Scots, who trailed 15-7 at half-time, missed 36 tackles and gave away 15 penalties.
They made a bright start, creating a try in the third minute for fullback Kyle Rowe.
Their grip on the game slipped when hooker Ewen Ashman was shown a yellow card for a professional foul and experienced flanker Jamie Ritchie was forced from the field with injury.
Fiji out-half Caleb Muntz slotted a penalty and his team took command in the period before half-time after Graham had been sent to the sin-bin for an early tackle.
Captain Tevita Ikanivere gave his team the lead through a lineout drive try before winger Kalaveti Ravouvou capitalised on an overlap to cross in the right corner.
Scotland responded after the interval through a try by centre Tom Jordan.
But a brilliant solo try from winger Jiuta Wainiqolo, followed by the penalty try, when Graham raced off his own line too quickly to intercept a pass, took Fiji to victory.
Referee Ben O’Keeffe deemed the wing had prevented a probable Fijian try.
Scotland complete their three-match Pacific tour when they play Samoa in Auckland on Friday.
– © AFP 2025
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