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Wales losing run extends to 18 defeats after late capitulation against Japan

By Mark Mansfield
Japan inflicted an 18th successive defeat on Wales as they came from behind in Kitakyushu

Wales wilted in the Kitakyushu heat to lose 24-19 to Japan and suffer an 18th successive Test defeat.

First-half tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try and a Sam Costelow conversion, gave Wales a 19-7 interval lead and hopes of a first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup 21 months ago.

But Japan dominated the second half and tries from Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, plus nine points from the boot of Seungsin Lee, piled on more misery for Wales.

Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones said he had hoped for a hot day to “run Wales off their feet” and the oppressive conditions – with the temperature above 30 degrees Celsius as well as high humidity – meant water breaks in each half and an extended interval.

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Handling errors

A slippery ball produced countless handling errors and there was often little rhythm to a disrupted contest that took over two hours to complete.

Taulupe Faletau, Nicky Smith, Ben Thomas and Blair Murray survived from the 68-14 thrashing to England in the Six Nations as interim head coach Matt Sherratt made 11 changes.

Number eight Faletau – the fifth-most capped Welshman – made his 109th appearance but it was largely an inexperienced line-up with six starters having fewer than 10 caps.

Wales’ fall from grace had left them in 12th place on World Rugby’s rankings table, one spot above Japan, and it was very much a meeting between two teams in transition.

There was a worrying start to the contest as Ben Carter took a hit to the side of the head inside 30 seconds.

Carter slumped to the ground after attempting to make a tackle and there was a lengthy stoppage before the second row forward was taken away on a stretcher.

Wales immediately shrugged off that blow as Faletau exploited space profited from a line-out ploy to send Thomas over with a well-timed pass and Costelow converted.

Japan were on the backfoot and struggling to get out of their own half, but scored from their first attack after 16 minutes as winger Kippei Ishida sliced through midfield to set up Matsunaga and Lee’s kick restored parity.

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Penalty try

Wales hit the front again with a penalty try after Nakakusu, who had replaced the injured Matsunaga moments earlier, deliberately slapped the ball away as Josh Adams closed on Kieran Hardy’s chip by the try line.

Nakakusu suffered further punishment with a yellow card, and Wales took advantage of their extra man after Japan had found touch from the kick-off.

Faletau broke away from a scrum going backwards and Hardy, Costelow and Johnny Williams moved the ball on for Rogers to scamper into the corner.

The tide turned in the second half as Amato Fakatava saw his effort ruled out for a Shinobu Fujiwara knock-on, but Japan were not to be denied after going through the phases.

Rogers slipped off a tackle and Nakakusu dived over with Lee adding the extras and soon reducing the deficit to two points with a penalty.

Japan got their noses in front for the first time as replacement Vailea barged over and Lee’s sparked celebrations that continued until the final whistle.

The two-match series will conclude in Kobe next Saturday.

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17 comments

Frank

If Cymru ever win again they'll have to have an open-topped bus for the team to celebrate.

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hdavies15

Could be one of those driverless buses by the time that happens !

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Peter J

Sod education and health, the only thing that matters at the next senedd election is turning this s-show around. Hope the loss will teach us to not try winning with homegrown players. Let’s import some New Zealand and South Africans like the Irish and Scots and take it from there.

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CymroDownUnder

In fairness we're already doing that, and still losing. A lot of our team are also now English born or play in England. This downward spiral has been on the cards for over 20 years since we destroyed our club system and went to regions. Very few people in Cymru follow clubs/regions any more, meaning there are also less kids getting into it. We should be less focussed on trying to compete financially with the likes of the English and French, admit our mistakes, and revert back to a club system which people would be more likely to follow and care about. It might take a while to up the standard, but it would be far more sustainable in the long term. Regions have not, and will not work in Cymru.

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J Jones

Good news for you, the original provincial regions were boycotted by the clubs and replaced by them either standing alone or making false mergers with broken promises to cover the whole country. Having 4 pro teams was the right number, but failed because they were taken by fly boy sugar daddies and former bankrupts, which was never going to last. Having said this, Wasps were boasting about being the richest club in the world a few years ago and they are no more, so more internationals is the answer as they're played in the best stadium in the world.

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Peter J

Not sure going back to clubs is the answer. Imagine Ebbw vale playing leinster now. It would be a blood bath. Not sure the answer but we just don’t have the finances to compete. Or even keep our players in wales. The regions have small squads, and players look poorly coached.

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In reply to Peter J

CymroDownUnder

Unless the likes of Ebbw finished near the top of the table, then they wouldn't be playing the likes of Leinster in the Champions Cup. Unless you mean playing them in a domestic competition like the URC. I don't think the majority of the Welsh public care much about the URC to be honest. If it was a standalone Welsh league then only the best sides would play in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup. Our club teams overall performed well in Europe back in the day, and consistently better than what the regions do today.

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In reply to CymroDownUnder

J Jones

"Our club teams overall performed well in Europe back in the day". Maybe for the odd result against weakened teams for the initial honeymoon period, until the financial realities kicked in. Then I remember Swansea having a cricket score on them in front of less than a 1,000 at St Helens. 25 years later one of the two west Wales club teams wants to move there!

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Y Cymro

When I thought we couldn't get lower, this happens. 19-7 up and we lose again. You cannot blame the conditions. It affected Japan too. Wales were in control most of the match and made so many schoolboy errors. Lineouts missed or overthrown. What an embarrassing display. These are professional players right? Sorry, but when you have clear chances and fuff them allowing the opposition to regroup deserve all the ridicule. And we and they will get it. How many times did Wales gather the lineout ball, not pop it down to players waiting , only to get held up by Japan resulting in a penalty? I counted two times where we were in a good position to score a try What about the placekicking. Terrible. And Keiran Hardy. What the hell was he doing? When it's Wales ball, fed in, it comes out, you don't wait but dig it out as a scum half, not allow the opposition to push on causing yet another penalty. It was doge numerous times to Wales. Are we incapable of learning? The first half we were in total control. But we're slow physically and dare it say it, mentally too. Our play was so one dimensional. I call it the fiddlers bow. Lateral. Back and forth like headless chickens. No line breaks. Nothing. Blair Murray did try but he rarely got the ball. We have the sad situation where a Japan side also in transition rated poor have piled on more mystery. We now have lost 18 matches in a row. And we wonder why only two Welshmen were picked for the Lions tour. Only one now due to injury. Wales Matt Sherratt and fellow coaches can only do so much. It's the players who take the field. I feel Welsh rugby is in its death throes. Harrowing to watch being a fan who craves for success. The WRU have a lot to answer. They are the equivalent of Welsh Labour in my eyes. They wasted all the success we had and build on a foundation of sand now being eroded away leaving a void and Wales is slipping into a sinkhole of despair. Where do we go from here? I genuinely don't know. Matt Sherratt tenure will be up soon. Who would want the job when the same problems will still be there. I think we need a clear out at the top with the WRU. Top down. Our regions need to be cut to three. Who and what is another debate. Some prefer a return to the old club system, but that didn't bare fruit internationally seeing we didn't win any tournaments for 18 years until regionalism. Dark days ahead.

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Nia James

Decent first half performance but a pretty limp second half one. We look so low on confidence, and lack leadership in key areas. Massive 2nd Test awaits.

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Tucker

Well talk about disappointing. Taking a lead into the second half that would have seen most tier one teams push on. Cymru couldn't even manage to threaten the hosts try line for the next 40 minutes. Credit to Japan they wanted to play 15 man rugby and succeeded. Cymru couldn't even string more than a few phases together without making an unforced error or lacked any penetration and after Dewi Lake went off our line out completely disintegrated. Some of the selections for this tour have to be called into question. Along with tactics. Whether it was down to the Japanese defence or our inability to get the ball past the number 10. We lacked any go forward ball. Our defence by the backs was practically nonexistent and it seemed like they just didn't want to tackle. Where as the Japanese played really well and wanted to stretch our defence with some excellent offloads and speed of thought.

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J Jones

So the Woke Rugby Union lose again. I'm actually hoping they get to 20 losses so the 5 English now running/ruining the governing body are removed. Whether they are simply incompetent or part of the initial sabotage plan is irrelevant.

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Annibendod

You flung the word "woke" as a pejorative. You are automatically disqualifed. Go back to the beginning and start again.

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J Jones

I'm told woke has different meanings depending on whether you want to believe in it or expose the obvious negatives, I'm quite happy to let recent results be the judge on this. I don't believe you're a moderator on this so very weird for anyone to decide who should be 'automatically disqualified'. But we do agree about 'go back to the beginning and start again', the 18 match loss came from the 2023 sabotage report, so we should bin and those it has brought in.

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Frank

Stop paying them professional wages until they can play like professionals. Pay them by results.

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Frank

One major problem with Cymru is they are inclined to relax and be off their guard when they are ahead. Also, opposing teams tend to play like shyte in the first half which gives Cymru a false sense of superiority but then come back in the second half, hammer us and steal the game. TACTICS.

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Frank

Thank goodness for Gerwyn Price, the only hero Cymru has at the moment. Da iawn Gerwyn. We are proud of you.

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Replying to J Jones Cancel

"Our club teams overall performed well in Europe back in the day". Maybe for the odd result against weakened teams for the initial honeymoon period, until the financial realities kicked in. Then I remember Swansea having a cricket score...

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