5 July 2025: G: Mikuni World Stadium (Japan Kitakyusyu) ; R: Damian Schneider (ARU)
○Japan 24-19 Wales●
Data:
5/7/2025, Challenge Cup 2025
Japan 24 – 19 Wales
Mikuni World Stadium (Japan Kitakyusyu)
Half-time 7 – 19
Refree: Damian Schneider (ARU)
Crowd: 13,487
JAPAN: 15 Takuro Matsunaga (22 Ichigo Nakakusu 19), 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Malo Tuitama (23 Halatoa Vailea 51), 10 Seungsin Lee, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara (21 Shuntaro Kitamura 79), 8 Amato Fakatava (20 Gunter Ben 57), 7 Jack Cornelsen, 6 Michael Leitch (capt), 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Epineri Uluiviti (19 Waisake Raratubua 56), 3 Shyuhei Takeuchi, 2 Mamoru Harada, 1 Yota Kamimori.
Reserves: 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 17 Sena Kimura, 16 Hayate Era
HIA:
Coach: Eddie Jones.
Tries: Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu, Halatoa Vailea.; Conversions: Seungsin Lee (3); Penalty Goals: Seungsin Lee; Drop Goals: None.
Red Cards:, Yellow Cards: 22 Ichigo Nakakusu (Unfair play).
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams (23 Joe ROBERTS 68), 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Taulupe Faletau (21 Tommy Reffell 57), 7 Josh Macleod (20 Aaron Wainwright 57), 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams , 4 Ben Carter (19 James RATTI 1), 3 Keiron Assiratti (18 Archie Griffin 51), 2 Dewi Lake (capt) (16 Liam Belcher 68), 1 Nicky Smith (17 Gareth Thomas 51).
Reserves: 22 Rhodri Williams
HIA:
Coach: Matt Sherratt
Tries: Ben Thomas, Penalty try, Tom Rogers.; Conversions: Sam Costelow; Penalty Goals: None; Drop Goals: None.
Red Cards:, Yellow Cards:.
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 4min-try Wales, Ben Thomas-0-5; conv. Sam Costelow-0-7, 16min-try Japan, Takuro Matsunaga-5-7; conv. Seungsin Lee-7-7, 20min-try Wales, Penalty try-7-14, 22min -try Wales, Tom Rogers-7-19; conv. Sam Costelow (missed)-7-19, 37min-dg Wales, Sam Costelow (missed)-7-19, 59min-try Japan, Ichigo Nakakusu-12-19; conv. Seungsin Lee-14-19, 64min-pg Japan, Seungsin Lee-17-19, 70min-try Japan, Halatoa Vailea-22-19; conv. Seungsin Lee-24-19.
Japan's record against Wales is one win and 13 losses. Fifty years ago, when Wales first visited Japan, Japan was soundly defeated, 6-82. Twenty years ago, they also suffered a crushing 0-98 defeat during their European tour. However, over the past 12 years, they have won one match and lost two, with their losses coming by four or three points, making them closer. Furthermore, Wales are currently on a 17-match losing streak in test matches, and with Japan experiencing sweltering temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, expectations for a victory against a high-performance nation are high.
Wales kicked off the match, and just 24 seconds into Japan's first play, Wales' number four player, Ben Carter, suffered a concussion and was carried off on a stretcher (number 19, James Ratty, was his replacement). Wales then launched a series of attacks (phase 7) from a lineout in the left midfield of the Japanese half, but Japan committed a foul, awarding Wales a penalty kick in the middle of the 22-meter line. Just when it seemed the penalty kick would be the opening goal, Wales' No. 10 Costello kicked the ball to the touch line of 10 meters to the right of the Japanese goal, resulting in a lineout for Wales. In the fourth minute, we worried about whether Japan could stop Wales's well-trained maul, but Wales quickly caught them off guard, passing the ball to No. 8 Faletau, who charged forward with the support on the both side. Finally, No. 12 Thomas, on the outside, received a pass and scored a try (No. 10 Costello's successful goal made it 0-7). Wales continued to attack Japan's half, repeatedly threatening the Japanese goal, but Japan, as a whole, went forward to tackle and effectively used their kicks. Then, in the 16th minute, No. 7 Cornelsen won a lineout 22 meters to the right of Wales' half and passed the ball to No. 5 Deans, who was running in to break the line. Deans suddenly made a pass to No. 9 Fujiwara. Japan sent centers Nakano and Reilly running shallow vertically, and Fujiwara passed the ball to No. 10 Lee, who was running behind them. Lee tried to break free of the Welsh marker and, once caught, passed the ball to No. 14 Ishida, who followed him inside. Ishida ran behind the Welsh defensive line and, just before being caught by a backup, passed the ball to No. 15 Matsunaga, who was running vertically. Matsunaga, with his signature speed, shook off the backup and dashed into the try zone (Lee's goal made it 7-7). After the restart, No. 11 Tuitama dropped a high punt forward at the center of Japan's 22-meter line. At the 19th minute, No. 22 Nakakusu replaced Matsunaga, who had injured his leg in the previous play. In the 20th minute, Wales launched a series of attacks from a scrum in the center of Japan's 22-meter line, and No. 9 Hardy kicked the ball into Japan's try zone. No. 11 Adams and Nakakusu competed for the ball, but it went over the dead goal line. However, the TMO awarded Nakakusu a yellow card for intentionally hitting the ball away, resulting in a penalty try for Wales (7-14). On the next kickoff, Lee kicked the ball with direct touch, continuing the bad momentum. In the 22nd minute, Japan's FW pushed at a center scrum with Wales in possession, and it looked like they'd earned a penalty, but Wales' Faletau carried the ball away just before that. Japan's back row was unable to move, and the ball was passed around between No. 9 Hardy, No. 10 Costello, and No. 13 Williams. No. 14 Tom Rogers, who was free, ran quickly along the right line and scored a try (Costelow's goal missed, making it 7-19). Looking to make a comeback, Japan pushed at Japan ball scrum in the Welsh half in the 27th minute, earning a penalty kick. After the penalty kick, Cornelsen, who was at the back of the lineout, caught the ball while retreating and returned it to Leitch, who was supporting him. Kamimori, Leitch, and Epineli then charged forward, bringing the ball within one meter of the goal, and Faagatava finally smashed into the in-goal. However, the TMO ruled that the ball could not be touch downed, and judged the try line drop-out. Japan attempted a counter-attack from the restart, but a knock-forward by Tuitama denied them any chances. Both teams made bold attacks, but fatigue and sweat from the heat caused the ball to slip, and time passed without either team creating a clear chance, and the first half ended.
The second half began with a Japanese kick-off. Three minutes into the game, a penalty kick following an obstruction from Japan allowed Wales to enter the Japanese half and launch a series of attacks, but Japan's highly conscious defense continued to hold them off. However, even after Japan won a penalty kick and went on the attack, they made mistakes, including a direct touch. In the ninth minute, Japan pushed a scrum and a penalty kick was awarded, leading to a touch kick into the opposition's half. From a lineout in the right midfield of the opposition's half, Fujiwara, Lee, Nakano, and Riley were passed around. Riley was unable to break free and passed the ball to back side. Lee regained possession, broke through, and passed the ball to supporting Fujiwara, but unfortunately it was a knock-forward. Looking to change the flow of the game, Japan brought on No. 23 Vailea in place of Tuitama in the 11th minute. With the game deadlocked, in the 16th minute, No. 19 Lalatuvua replaced No. 4 Epineli. Japan won a lineout 10 meters to the left of their own half and opened up the space. Nakano and Fakatava charged forward, earning a penalty kick. At this point (17th minute), No. 20 Ben Gunter replaced No. 8 Fakatava. By the penalty kick Lee kicked the ball to touch line to earn a lineout 10 meters to the right of the opponent's half. From there, Japan launched a Phase 13 attack, starting with Nakano's charge. In the 19th minute, Lee ran left from a ruck in the center of the goal and was tackled, but the ball was passed to Nakakusu, who supported him. Nakakusu slipped between two defenders and scored a try (Lee's goal made it 14-19). The excitement in the stadium rose immediately. After the restart, Wales committed another off-the-gate foul, and Lee kicked the ball to touch line advanced into the opponent's half. Cornelsen caught the ball at lineout 10 meters to the left of the opponent's half. After seven phases, the team spread to the right, sending power runners Gunter and Lalatuvua charging forward. Cornelsen, waiting on the left, passed the ball to Gunter on the far flank, who looked like he'd scored a try in the left corner. Unfortunately, the final pass was ruled a forward pass, and the try was disallowed. However, Wales committed a not-rollaway foul before the try was disallowed, and in the 24th minute, Lee scored a penalty goal (17-19), cutting the lead to two points. While Wales would have liked to continue their momentum and push forward, they remained calm and showed no signs of fatigue. In the 29th minute, Japan won a scrum 10 meters to the left of the opponent's half, earning a penalty kick (a crucial play that would determine the outcome). With a good touch kick from Lee, Japan earned a lineout 5 meters to the left of the opponent's half. They threw a low ball to Warner, immediately forming a maul and pushing powerfully. Backs Nakano and Vailea joined the maul, and in the 30th minute, Vailea scored a try into the try zone to take the lead (24-19 with a goal from Lee). After the game resumed, Japan stubbornly defended against a fierce Welsh attack that they could not afford to lose. A push in their own scrum earned them a penalty kick (which went over in the ensuing offensive). Nakakusu's long kick landed in the try zone (if it went over the in-goal, the opponent's ball scrum would be at the point where it was kicked), and they also had a chance. In the 39th minute, No. 9 Fujiwara was replaced by No. 21 Kitamura (earning his first cap). While one might expect him to be nervous coming on at the most crucial moment of a big game, his experience as a standout player in League One Shizuoka showed plenty of promise, and his bold play was refreshing. With one minute remaining, Japan repeatedly made the ruck to waste time, and Lee kicked the ball out of field after the buzzer sounded, giving Japan the win against Wales (their second win against Wales). We applaud all players on both teams who fought hard to the end, never giving up in this scorching heat.