Rugby Union
Wales had to quell Japan’s fightback to win 31-22 and snap an 18 match run of defeats; watch AUNZ Invitational XV vs Lions live on Sky Sports Action from 10am on Saturday (kick-off 11am)
Saturday 12 July 2025 11:51, UK
Wales ended their record 18-match losing Test run with a hard-fought 31-22 victory over Japan.
Played under the closed roof of the Noevir Stadium, Wales scored three first-half tries, with Josh Adams opening the scoring and Kieran Hardy going over twice after Lee Seung-sin’s penalty, but Japan struck on the stroke of half-time through Shuhei Takeuchi.
Although Dan Edwards’ penalty extended Wales’ lead, they slipped into trouble as two tries in quick succession from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley brought Japan back into the game.
However, Edwards crossed with five minutes remaining to seal a much-needed victory for Wales and snap a lengthy losing run to secure a first Test win since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup.
Matt Sherratt made four changes from the side beaten by the Brave Blossoms last weekend, with Freddie Thomas, Archie Griffin and Aaron Wainwright lining up alongside Edwards, who was making his first start.
Wales scored the opening try when Blair Murray squeezed through a gap and charged down the pitch before offloading to Adams to cross. Edwards added the conversion.
Japan had a great opportunity when Ichigo Nakakusu eased through the Welsh defence and looked to have played in Michael Leitch, but the flanker was hauled down as Wales recovered.
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A mistake allowed Wainwright to pounce on a loose ball before launching a tidy grubber kick up-field for Adams. The winger reached the ball on the try-line but was unable to get a firm grip to ground it and it bounced out of play.
Japan earned their first points of the game from Lee’s penalty kick, but the visitors extended their advantage shortly afterwards from a line-out where the rolling maul reached the edge of the try-line and Hardy was able to reach over and touch down, with Edwards converting.
Faulua Makisi was sent to the sin bin and Wales soon took advantage of their extra man when a great switch in play allowed Adams to cut in from the left and break forward before passing into Hardy, who dived over, with Edwards scoring from the tee.
Japan pulled a try back just before half-time when Takeuchi surged over the line and Lee converted.
Wales suffered an early blow after the break when Nicky Smith was forced off through injury. Gareth Thomas came on, and although Japan started well, it was Wales who struck next as Edwards kicked a penalty.
The hosts then enjoyed a superb build-up of phases which resulted in Dearns powering over the line and following a TMO review the try stood, but Lee’s conversion flew wide of the posts.
Wales suddenly found themselves in trouble as Riley latched onto a sloppy pass and sprinted up the centre of the pitch to cross underneath the posts. Lee converted to reduce the gap to two points.
A cagey end to the game followed, but the visitors piled forward with five minutes to play and a quick move to the left allowed Edwards to cross before converting his own effort to wrap up the win.
Interim head coach Matt Sherratt said: “Today is the end of a long season, but for Welsh rugby it’s got to be the start of something.
“The next guy coming in – the big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck.
“That was a big motivation for me coming in. The work’s got to be done now with the national coaches in the regions, lets get into the regions and help develop a good young group of players.”
Sherratt had overseen four of those 18 defeats coming into Saturday’s contest and expressed his delight for Wales’ players and staff to finally earn a win as emotions ran high at full-time.
“I’ve genuinely never wanted to win a game of rugby so much,” he said. “I’ve been around for four games, but I see what it means to them, what it means to the staff.
“I was so pleased for this group, there’s not been a more deserving group that I’ve worked with, so it was pretty emotional.”
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Ardie Savea scored a try and led the All Blacks superbly Saturday to a 43-17 win over France in the second Test and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Savea took over the captaincy from the injured Scott Barrett and under his leadership the All Blacks produced a more intense and physical performance than in the first Test in which they scraped home 31-27.
The All Blacks dominated through their forwards against a French team that had 10 changes to its starting line-up from the first Test, and still lacked most of its Six Nations stars.
“This week we talked about our defence and we wanted to bring fire in that area and we did that in most parts of the game,” Savea said. “I’m proud of our boys for just sticking with it and doing a good job tonight.”
With greater control of possession, New Zealand was able to set a higher tempo than in the first test and play more often in the French half. With quick ball and an ability to dominate the collision area and offload in tackles, New Zealand scored six tries on two.
Four of those tries came in the first half and only two in the second in which the All Blacks were less clinical.
The All Blacks were dangerous around the fringes of breakdowns through Savea and Cam Roigard unstoppable when they got the ball wide to full-back Will Jordan and winger Rieko Ioane who both scored tries.
The third Test will be played at Hamilton next weekend.
Sky Sports will exclusively show the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Tests against the Wallabies and six warm-up matches to be shown exclusively live.
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