Wales must improve after patchy Japan win before New Zealand test

Wales beat Japan 28-21 to open their Nations Championship campaign, but a disjointed performance has left head coach Steve Tandy’s side facing questions before Saturday’s home match against New Zealand.

The victory was Wales’ fourth in 13 internationals under Tandy. But the BBC reported that Wales had only 40% of possession and territory, made 227 tackles to Japan’s 115, and lost six line-outs. Errors and lapses in discipline repeatedly allowed Japan back into the match.

Louis Rees-Zammit was a standout for Wales, scoring his first international try in eight Tests and making five of the team’s 16 line-breaks. Josh Adams scored twice, while Aaron Wainwright and Jac Morgan also impressed in attack and defence.

Captain Dewi Lake said Wales had to improve their line-out, while Tandy said the team needed to be more ruthless when on top. Tandy also noted that it was Wales’ first match since the summer and said the side needed time to rebuild cohesion.

The result and performance echo the concerns after Wales’ bonus-point win over Japan, when errors and line-out problems also made for a tense finish. Wales now face a much sterner test: New Zealand, ranked second in the world according to the BBC, visit Cardiff next Saturday, followed by Australia the following weekend.

Wales are 10th in the world rankings, the BBC said, and have not beaten New Zealand since 1953. Their next match will test whether the Japan win can be followed by a significant improvement against top-level opposition.