Japan in historic win over Wales

Japan made history on Saturday when they beat Six Nations champions Wales 23-8 for their first ever victory over a major nation in nearly 80 years of international competition.

Second-half tries from foreign-born players Craig Wing and Michael Broadhurst re-wrote the record books for Japan against a depleted Wales – missing their head coach and 15 players who are with the British and Irish Lions.

This follows after Wales twice came from behind to beat the Asian champions, Japan, 22-18 in the opener of their two-Test series last Saturday.

Japan were leading Wales 6-3 at half-time at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, in Tokyo, – thanks to two penalties from fullback Ayumu Goromaru.

A Tom Prydie try gave Wales the lead early in the second half, but the advantage was short-lived, as the Brave Blossoms bounced back in emphatic fashion.

Despite the unfamiliar Welsh line-up, the result is a boost for rugby in Japan, the hosts of the 2019 World Cup who have played in all seven editions of the tournament so far but have won only once, against minnows Zimbabwe in 1991.

Japan played their first international fixtures in the 1930s, and they first took on a Wales XV in Cardiff in 1973. In nine full Test matches with Wales, Japan have been on the wrong end of some giant scores including a 98-0 blow-out in 2004.

However, steeled by last week's narrow 18-22 defeat, Japan edged the first half 6-3 thanks to the boot of fullback Ayumu Goromaru, and after a Welsh try on 44 minutes they hit back with two of their own before wrapping up a worthy win.

In hot and humid conditions at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya Stadium, the hosts took an early lead through a Goromaru penalty but visiting flyhalf Dan Biggar levelled the scores before Welsh wing Harry Robinson came close to the opening try.

However, a long-range potshot from Goromaru six minutes before half-time gave Japan their three-point lead at the break, raising hopes of a famous win.

Wales came out firing at the start of the second half and Robinson again went close before left wing Tom Prydie finally crossed following great work from replacement back Rhys Patchell and a long pass from Biggar.

But Japan quickly regained the initiative at 13-8 when Wing, a former rugby league international for Australia, went over after steady build-up play involving a number of phases.

Wales responded by making a raft of substitutions, but they were forced into some last-ditch defending when Robinson and Liam Williams combined to halt Japanese number eight Takashi Kikutani just short of the line.

And New Zealand-born Broadhurst extended Japan's lead when he went over in the right corner for their second try on the hour-mark, with Goromaru slotting the extras for a 20-8 lead with 20 minutes to go.

Welsh hopes took another hit when they were controversially denied a try after Patchell pounced on a grubber kick by Biggar, only to be judged not to have grounded the ball.

With three minutes left, Goromaru landed his third penalty to make sure of a win which prompted celebrations in Tokyo, and will also lift 15th-ranked Japan in their fight to join rugby's top 10 by the next World Cup in 2015.

The scorers:

For Japan:

Tries: Wing, Broadhurst

Cons: Goromaru 2

Pens: Goromaru 3

For Wales:

Try: Prydie

Pen: Biggar

Teams:

Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Toshiaki Hirose (captain), 13 Male Sau, 12 Craig Wing, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Takashi Kikutani, 7 Michael Broadhurst, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Shoji Ito, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Masataka Mikami.

Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Yusuke Nagae, 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Justin Ives, 21 Atsushi Hiwasa, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Yoshikazu Fujita.

Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Owen Williams, 12 Jonathan Spratt, 11 Tom Prydie, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Andries Pretorius, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 James King 5 Lou Reed, 4 Bradley Davies (Captain), 3 Scott Andrews, 2 Emyr Phillips, 1 Rhys Gill.

Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Andrew Coombs, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23  Dafydd Howells.

Referee: Greg Garner (England)

Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), TBC (Japan)