Japan 22 – 31 Wales: So that’s what winning feels like!

Simon Thomas

You only had to survey the scene on the conclusion of today’s game in Kobe to know just how much it meant to Wales to finally end their 18-Test losing run.

Out on the pitch, the players embraced and hugged as they savoured the moment.

But most telling of all was the look on Matt Sherratt’s face as the camera panned on to him in the coaches’ box.

It was a mixture of emotion, exhaustion and sheer relief. You had the sense that tears were not too far away as he attempted to hold it together.

It was an understandable reaction as it’s been a tough gig for Sherratt as interim head coach since Warren Gatland’s departure midway through the Six Nations.

He’s been through some torrid times, notably the record home defeat to England and last weekend’s traumatic loss to Japan in Kitakyushu.

Thankless

He could have been forgiven if he’d started to view it as a pretty thankless task, but he has stuck to his task and now he has got his reward.

The same goes for his young group of players who have also been through the mill over the past year or so.

The pressure on the whole group has steadily mounted with each successive record-extending defeat.

You could see the weight that had been lifted off shoulders on the final whistle, with skipper Dewi Lake another to show his emotions. It has been a hard road.

The victory would have been all the sweeter as it had looked as though they were in serious danger of letting a commanding lead slip from their grasp for the second week in a row.

In Kitakyushu, they had been 19-7 up with just 20 minutes to go, only to lose 24-19.

This time, they were even further in front, leading 21-3 thanks to two tries from scrum-half Kieran Hardy, following a Josh Adams opener.

But replacement prop Shuhei Takeuchi surged over just before the break to give Japan hope and then the game turned on its head.

Whereas Wales had dominated possession and territory in the first half, they just couldn’t hold on to the ball for any length of time in the second period.

That profligacy proved costly as they conceded two tries in the space of three minutes around the hour mark.

On both occasions, they were actually in possession in the other half of the field when disaster struck.

Comeback

Firstly, Hardy had a kick charged down ahead of lock Warner Dearns burrowing his way over and then Dan Edwards was unable to hold on to the ball as he reached up to take Hardy’s pass, enabling centre Dylan Riley to run in from halfway.

That cut the deficit to 24-22 with 18 minutes to go and Japan were now very much the favourites to complete another comeback win.

They had the wind in the sails and you feared Wales were wilting away in the heat just as they had a week earlier.

After so many defeats, the demons must have been entering the heads of the men in red. It would have been ‘Here we go again – again’.

Few of those loyal fans who had got up early to watch the game back home would have held out much hope of a win at that point.

All the momentum was with the home side, while Wales now found himself with two scrum-halves in their back-line – injuries to Adams and Johnny Williams having exposed the risk of the 6-2 split on the bench.

Things looked to be falling apart and there appeared to be only one likely outcome.

But to their great credit, Sherratt’s men dug deep, showed real character and found a way.

The turning point came nine minutes from time.

They were once again under the cosh and Japan were sniffing the winning score.

But that was the cue for Josh Macleod to step up, as the Scarlets flanker won his second jackal penalty of the match.

It was an absolutely pivotal moment as it allowed Wales to relieve the pressure and apply some of their own.

The key now was making it count and that they did.

From an attacking lineout on the opposition 22, replacement hooker Liam Belcher hit fellow sub James Ratti at the tail.

Then it was a case of building the phases as a series of round the corner carries from the forwards took them steadily closer to the whitewash.

The question now was whether they could add the finish. The answer was yes thanks to the game’s champagne moment, as replacement flanker Taine Plumtree produced a round-the-back pass ahead of Tom Rogers sending Dan Edwards over for the decisive score.

So 644 days after their last Test triumph – the World Cup victory over Georgia in Nantes in October 2023 – Wales finally have that winning feeling once more.

The result will also see them move back up from 14th to 12th in the world rankings, reversing the downward decline.

It was far from a perfect display – especially in the second half when they were hugely inaccurate – and they came perilously close to throwing it away.

But this was one occasion where the result really was everything.

After all they have been through, the win will do this group the power of good.

New head coach

It will enable them to move forward and head into the autumn campaign with the monkey off their back and give the new head coach – whoever that may be – something positive to build off.

On the individual front, Aaron Wainwright showed up well as he stepped into the shoes of the great Taulupe Faletau at No 8, topping the carrying chart (17) as he demonstrated his footwork and athleticism.

Alongside him in the back row, the excellent Macleod put in 13 tackles – the joint most for his team – to add to his four turnovers amid a non-stop display of endeavour.

The other man to put in 13 hits was Teddy Williams who also played his part in a much improved lineout in partnership with fellow second row Freddie Thomas as they repeatedly leapt high to secure possession.

There was also a far better showing in the scrum with Archie Griffin serving as the tighthead cornerstone on his first Test start since November.

Out wide, Blair Murray and Josh Adams were both real threats with ball in hand.

They combined to good effect for the opening try, with Murray slicing through and giving the scoring pass to Adams who later turned provider by cutting inside off his wing and sending Hardy over.

That was Hardy’s second as the Ospreys scrum-half had showed good strength and determination to stretch across the whitewash after hooker Lake had broken off a lineout maul.

That score served as a double whammy for Japan as it also saw No 8 Faulua Makisi yellow carded following an accumulation of penalties.

Wales capitalised on their extra man with Hardy rewarded for a good support line for his second after Adams’ incision.

At that point, leading 21-3 just before the break, they looked in complete control.

But this was to be anything but a straightforward win.

Nerve-jangling

It was to be a sweat drenched, nerve-jangling, heart-stopping victory.

After such a long barren spell, it was almost inevitable that there would be drama attached to finally ending it.

Safe to say, Wales certainly did it the hard way.

But they did it and that’s what matters above all.

After all the doom and gloom in Welsh rugby and amid all the uncertainty and worry over the future structure of our professional game, it’s nice to have something upbeat to write about.

Just what the next few weeks and months will hold in terms of the appointment of a new head coach and an announcement over the make-up of the regional game remains to be seen. There are seismic decisions to be made.

But, for now, there is finally a win to hold on to.

The last word goes to Sherratt as he bows out by ending the losing run.

“It’s emotional. I’m so pleased for the lads,” said the Cardiff boss.

“Credit to all the staff and support staff, the coaches and everyone who came before me.

“Whoever comes in has a great group to work with.”