Eddie Jones celebrates rare win as Wales drop to all-time low
MATCH REPORT: Eddie Jones’s Japan extended Wales’s record losing streak to 18 games after winning the first of their two Tests 24-19 on Saturday, thanks to a furious second-half fightback.
First-half tries from Ben Thomas, Tom Rogers and a penalty try looked to have put Wales in control in hot and humid Kitakyushu until Japan scored twice in the second half to snatch the win.
Wales’s last victory came against Georgia at the World Cup in October 2023, and their losing streak is a record for a Tier One country in the professional era.
Their previous match had ended in a humiliating 68-14 thrashing by England in Cardiff during the Six Nations.
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Team work 👏#JPNvWAL
pic.twitter.com/CMbyXT0d3m— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) July 5, 2025
With the temperature a steamy 31°C at kick-off, ball handling was difficult.
Wales were dealt an immediate blow when Ben Carter went down in the first minute following a heavy head-first collision.
The 24-year-old, who was returning to the team after missing the Six Nations through injury, lay prone on the ground for several minutes before being stretchered off and replaced by James Ratti.
Wales opened the scoring in the fourth minute, Thomas going over after Taulupe Faletau had punched a hole in the Japanese defence from a line-out.
Japan fought their way back into the game and levelled when Takuro Matsunaga finished off a flowing move with a try in the 16th minute.
Matsunaga went off injured soon after and was replaced by debutant Ichigo Nakakusu, one of six uncapped players on the Japanese bench.
Nakakusu was given a harsh introduction to the international game when he gave away a penalty try just minutes after coming on, swatting the ball away from Josh Adams with the Wales wing in a try-scoring position.
Nakakusu was also sin-binned for his troubles and Wales took advantage of their temporary numerical advantage when Rogers ran in their third try.
Japan were denied a try for a knock-on early in the second half but Nakakusu crossed the line in the 59th minute to bring the home team right back into it.
Seungsin Lee kicked a penalty to close the gap to just two points before debutant substitute Halatoa Vailea put Japan in front for the first time.
The scorers
For Japan
Tries: Matsunaga, Nakakusu, Vailea
Cons: Matsunaga 3
Pen: Lee
For Wales
Tries: Thomas, penalty try, T Rogers
Cons: Costelow, a penalty try does not require a conversion
Yellow card: Ichigo Nakakusu (Japan, 24)
Teams
Japan: 15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Malo Tuitama, 10 Seungsin Lee, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Amato Fakatava, 7 Jack Cornelsen, 6 Michael Leitch (captain), 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Epineri Uluiviti, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Mamoru Harada, 1 Yota Kamimori.
Replacements: 16 Hayate Era, 17 Sena Kimura, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Waisake Raratubua, 20 Ben Gunter, 21 Shuntaro Kitamura, 22 Ichigo Nakakusa, 23 Halatoa Vailea.
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Macleod, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Ben Carter, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 James Ratti, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Tommy Reffell, 22 Rhodri Williams, 23 Joe Roberts.
Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England), Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
