Wales grind out frustrating WXV win against Japan

WXV Global Series

Japan (0) 0

Wales (7) 17

Tries: Lockwood 2, K Jones Con: Bell

Wales ground out a win over Japan in tricky Tokyo conditions to secure a second victory of their WXV campaign.

Swirling wind, rain and humidity made for a real battle between sides ranked 11th and 12th in the world, with a scrappy first-half looking likely to end scoreless.

But scrum-half Seren Lockwood's 35th-minute snipe gave the game a much-needed spark and the visitors a 7-0 advantage at the break.

Wales lost centre Freya Bell to a serious-looking knee injury, but the impact of the bench proved the difference as Kelsey Jones drove over off lineout ball, before Lockwood finished a rare moment of class at the death.

It was far from an impressive performance from Sean Lynn's resurgent Wales, but given their previous results, his side have now proven the ability to win ugly.

The two sides will meet again in Kumagaya City on Saturday, 31 October.

The hosts, who were playing in a double header with the men's side to celebrate Japanese rugby's centenary, had twice run Ireland close before their meeting with Wales.

But indiscipline has been somewhat of an Achilles heel, and they lost flanker Nami Asari to a yellow card just six minutes into the Test.

Wales looked to have taken immediate advantage from a five-metre lineout, with Jones peeling away to cross for what would have been her ninth international try, but on review, lock Jorja Aiono was deemed to have caused an obstruction.

Japan hit back with some attacking phases of their own, with Bell and Sisilia Tuipulotu combining well to hold prop Wako Kitano up over the line.

Wales continued to look comfortable in defence as Japan patiently went through the phases, but the visitors' renewed attacking prowess looked disjointed amid wayward kicks and handling errors.

It was disappointing considering Wales' 74-point haul in their previous two outings against South Africa and USA, but then conditions were not in their favour.

The breakthrough eventually came five minutes before the break, and it was again off a driving lineout.

The powerful Bell trucked the ball up to the line, with Lockwood quick to the breakdown and quick to spot a gap in the defence.

Bell added the conversion to end the half.

Japan came back out with much more attacking intent and looked more threatening as Wales began to slip off tackles.

Lynn's side were also dealt a blow when a distraught-looking Bell was stretchered off the pitch, but there was an able replacement waiting in Courtney Keight.

Lleucu George was also introduced before the hour mark as Wales looked to win back some territory, and the backline reshuffle paid off when they added a second try on a rare visit to Japan's 22 on 65 minutes.

And this time there was no denying Jones at the back of the driving maul, with Wales putting some distance between themselves and their hosts.

They looked to have added an immediate third try when Lockwood won the chase from Keira Bevan's hack through, but replays showed Jones' turnover in the build-up had been from an offside position.

Lockwood did, however, bag her second three minutes from time, with the makeshift wing finishing well after George's floating pass out wide.

Wales pushed for a try bonus-point with Nami Yoshida sin-binned, but had to settle for three to go with a first clean sheet since beating Hong Kong 65-0 in November 2018.

Japan: Nishi; Tsunokawa, Langford, Kataoka, Nishimura; Tsukui (capt), Harada; Komaki, Nagaoka, Kitano, Kawamura, Sato, Asari, Korai, Bodman.

Replacements: Nagata, Yoshida, Fuji, Yoshimura, Jennifer, Seo, Ito, Havili Kagawa.

Sin bin: Asari (6 mins), Yoshida (76 mins)

Wales: Neumann; N Metcalfe, Cox, Bell, A Williams; Bevan, Lockwood; M Davies, K Jones, Tuipulotu, B Metcalfe, Aiono, K Williams (co-capt), Callender (co-capt), King.

Replacements: Reardon, Pyrs, E Jones, Crabb, G Evans, B Lewis, George, Keight.

Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada).

Assistant referees: Sunny Lee (Hong Kong China) & Hibiki Ikeda (Japan).

TMO: Matt Rodden (Hong Kong China).