Wales break 18-match losing run with Japan win

Summer tour second Test

Japan (10) 23

Tries: Takeuch, Deans, Riley, Cons: Lee 2 Pens: Lee

Wales (21) 31

Tries: Adams, Hardy 2, Edwards Cons: Edwards 4 Pens: Edwards

Wales held on for a first international win in 644 days as they ended their 18-match Test losing run by defeating Japan in Kobe.

The tourists levelled the series 1-1 as they withheld a spirited second-half Japan comeback in the heat and humidity under the closed roof at the Noevir Stadium.

Wales had built up a 21-3 lead thanks to two tries from scrum-half Kieran Hardy and a Josh Adams score.

But just as they did in their win in Kitakyushu last weekend, Eddie Jones' side rallied with tries from prop Shuhei Takeuchi, lock Warner Deans and centre Dylan Riley bringing the hosts to within two points.

But a late Edwards try, which gave the Ospreys fly-half a 16-point haul in his first Wales start, sealed the win and gave the tourists some joy for the first time in 21 months.

Wales previously recorded an international win when they defeated Georgia in the World Cup in Nantes in October 2023.

It was a welcome victory in the fifth and final game in charge for interim head coach Matt Sherratt who cut an emotional figure after the final whistle.

Cardiff head coach Sherratt had taken over from Warren Gatland during the Six Nations in February.

Gatland's permanent successor will be unveiled by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) in the next couple of weeks and will not now be burdened by the losing streak.

More to follow.

Japan: Ichigo Nakakusu; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Halatoa Vailea; Seungsin Lee, Naito Sato; Yota Kamimori, Mamoru Harada, Keijiro Tamefusa, Epineri Uluiviti, Warner Deans, Michael Leitch (capt), Jack Cornelsen, Faulua Makisi.

Sin-bin: Makisi 28

Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Shuhei Takeuchi, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shinobu Fujiwara, Sam Greene, Kazema Ueda.

Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (capt), Archie Griffin, Freddie Thomas, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Chris Coleman, James Ratti, Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Keelan Giles.

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)

Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (RFU), Damian Schneider (UAR)

Television Match Official (TMO): Glenn Newman (NZR).