Adams double and a bonus point as Wales beat Japan 28-21
Wales beat Japan 28-21 at Principality Stadium on Saturday in Wales's first home match of the Nations Championship, scoring four tries to take the bonus point. Japan scored three tries and trailed 21-14 at half-time.
Scoring
- Final score
- Wales 28-21 Japan
- Half-time
- Wales 21-14 Japan
- Tries
- Wales 4 (Griffin, Adams 2, Rees-Zammit) · Japan 3 (Gunter, Dearns, Fukuda)
- Conversions
- Wales 4 (Costelow 3, Edwards) · Japan 3 (Saito 2, Komura)
- Player of the match
- Louis Rees-Zammit
Archie Griffin put Wales ahead after three minutes with his first try for Wales, and Sam Costelow converted. Japan levelled seven minutes later when flanker Ben Gunter finished from a maul deep in Welsh territory, with Naoto Saito converting.
Josh Adams scored the first of his two tries after almost half an hour, finishing a move Blair Murray started from his own 22. Japan captain Warner Dearns answered from a few metres out, and Saito's conversion made it 14-14 again. Louis Rees-Zammit then crossed for his first Wales try since the match against New Zealand last year, after a strong carry from Eddie James, and Costelow's third conversion made it 21-14 at the break.
Second half
The second half was competitive but short of clear chances. With 12 minutes left Murray gathered the ball in his own 22 and Adams was again on his shoulder to score, with replacement Dan Edwards kicking the conversion. Substitute scrum-half Kenta Fukuda scored a late try for Japan and Komura converted, and Wales held on through a nervous finish.
What they said
Player of the match Rees-Zammit said the win mattered but that the next two games matter more, and that the performance was not perfect. Adams said he was happy with his two tries but that Wales must improve against New Zealand. Tandy said that with only three training sessions he was honest in expecting more from his side, and that he was pleased with the win and the bonus point but needs significant improvement next Saturday.
What comes next
New Zealand are next at Principality Stadium on 14 November, kick-off 2.10pm. New Zealand beat Scotland 43-21 in Edinburgh earlier on Saturday, scoring seven tries, and Wales have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953. Australia follow on 21 November. Wales lost 35-21 in Argentina and 43-0 in South Africa in July after beating Fiji 39-24.