Wales secured a bonus-point victory over Japan at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, but the performance raised more questions than answers for head coach Steve Tandy. Tries from Archie Griffin, Josh Adams (2) and Louis Rees-Zammit helped Wales to a 21-14 half-time lead, and despite a nervy second half, they held on for a 28-21 win.
First Half: Wales Start Strong but Let Japan Back In
Wales began brightly, with Rees-Zammit making an early break that set up Griffin for his first Test try. Sam Costelow converted. However, Japan hit back through flanker Ben Gunter after Wales lost possession at a breakdown. Riku Kitahara, making his debut at fly-half, converted. Wales regained the lead through Adams, but Japan levelled again when lock Warner Dearns dived over. Rees-Zammit then scored his 17th international try just before half-time, with Costelow adding the extras.
Second Half: Adams Seals Bonus Point as Japan Fight Back
Wales struggled to put the game to bed in the second half, with Costelow guilty of kicking away possession and the line-out malfunctioning. However, Adams scored his second try after a counter-attack from Blair Murray, securing the bonus point. Japan replacement Kenta Fukuda scored late to ensure a tense finale, but Wales held on for a narrow win.
Tandy's Concerns: Line-out and Discipline
Despite the win, Tandy will be concerned about his team's line-out, which lost six throws, and their indiscipline, which allowed Japan to stay in the game. Wales also wasted several attacking opportunities with handling errors. Player-of-the-match Rees-Zammit, full-back Murray, back-row duo Morgan and Wainwright, and centre Eddie James were among the standout performers for Wales.
Attendance and Next Up
The match was played in front of 52,425 spectators, a decrease of 9,000 from the corresponding fixture in 2025. Wales host New Zealand next Saturday before facing Australia, while Japan travel to England and Scotland. Both teams will be looking to improve as the Nations Championship progresses.
