Wales Beat Japan 28-21 to Restart Nations Championship Campaign

What changed

Wales beat Japan 28-21 at the Principality Stadium to restart their Nations Championship campaign with a bonus-point win. Archie Griffin, Josh Adams twice and Louis Rees-Zammit scored for Wales, while Japan also crossed four times and finished with a losing bonus point.

Why it matters

The scoreline says victory. The performance says work in progress.

Wales led 21-14 at half-time but never put Japan away. Six lost line-outs, handling errors and loose discipline kept the visitors close enough to make the ending frantic. Wales survived, but Steve Tandy’s fourth win in 13 internationals came with a sizeable warning label.

Rees-Zammit’s strong showing and return to the wing offered Wales attacking spark, while Adams’ two tries supplied the margin they needed. Yet Wales remain fifth in the northern hemisphere table, with New Zealand next at home and Australia still to come.

Japan now face England and Scotland. If the table remains unchanged, Wales and Japan could meet again for fifth place in the finals weekend in south-west London.