Australian Harry Hockings had a disappointing introduction to Take a look at rugby, struggling a late yellow card that helped Wales to an exhilarating one-point win over Japan.
Hockings, the previous Queensland Reds lock making his Take a look at debut, was yellow carded for a harmful deal with within the dying moments. That allowed Wales to kick for subject place and within the subsequent play they received one other penalty which substitute Wales fly-half Jarrod Evans knocked over for a dramatic 24-23 win over Eddie Jones’ group.
Wales ended a document run of 10 successive house Take a look at defeats and gave new head coach Steve Tandy his first win. It secured a high 12 seeding – and Wales avoiding two heavyweight nations of their group – when the 2027 Rugby World Cup pool draw is made on December 3.
Wales had not received a Take a look at on house soil since defeating World Cup warm-up opponents England in August 2023, and Japan went agonisingly near extending that sorry sequence.
Louis Rees-Zammit scored a strive on his first Wales begin since returning to rugby following a stint in American soccer, and he was a constant attacking risk amid the frequent gloom of one other sub-standard group show.
It was solely Wales’ second win within the final 21 Checks, they usually stay miles off the tempo forward of welcoming New Zealand and world champions to South Africa within the subsequent fortnight.
Eddie Jones’ Japan scented their greatest triumph since they shocked South Africa in the course of the 2015 World Cup in Brighton, but they had been in the end denied as Evans held his nerve.
Wales had been off and working after simply six minutes courtesy of Edwards’ spectacular end that noticed him beat three gamers inside Japan’s 22, earlier than changing his strive.
Japan missed an opportunity to chop the deficit when Makisi spilled possession barely 5 metres from Wales’ line, but it proved solely a short lived reprieve for the house facet.
They struck from their subsequent alternative as a flowing transfer ended with Ishida crossing broad out and Lee including the extras, and Wales continued to be examined defensively by Japan’s razor-sharp assault.
Lock Epineri Uluiviti was then yellow-carded for a problem on Wales flanker Alex Mann, which briefly disrupted Japan’s momentum, and it received worse 4 minutes later as Makisi’s excessive hit on Edwards noticed referee Matthew Carley brandish one other yellow.
It left Japan briefly diminished to 13 gamers, however Wales couldn’t make their benefit depend they usually had wing Josh Adams sin-binned when he made contact with Ishida’s head as a forgettable first half ended 7-7.
Wales badly wanted an injection of creativity and tempo, but with Adams’ card upgraded to pink, they needed to play your complete third quarter underpowered by way of numbers.
Rees-Zammit lifted spirits when he collected scrum-half Tomos Williams’ lengthy go for his fifteenth Wales strive, with Edwards’ conversion making it 14-12 after Lee had kicked a penalty.
However again got here Japan following one other Lee penalty as Makisi crashed over, and Lee’s conversion left Wales in serious trouble once more, trailing by six factors.
They required a right away response, and Tompkins delivered it by touching down barely a minute after happening. Edwards’ conversion put Wales again in entrance, just for a 3rd Lee penalty to revive a bonus for Japan.
The guests appeared comfortably extra threatening than Wales with ball in hand, and there was additionally a formidable diploma of composure because the clock ticked down.
Wales grew more and more determined amid a frantic finale, and Evans grew to become the hero after a 3rd Japan yellow card – this time for substitute Hockings – by booting a last-gasp penalty.
(With AAP)
