Mon 21 Nov 2016 | 10:26
Sam Davies helps Wales edge Japan after tight encounter in Cardiff

5
Comments

Wales were saved from a draw with Japan thanks to a last gasp drop-goal by replacement Sam Davies, giving them a 33-30 win in Cardiff. A late Japanese try and excellent conversion brought the visitors within minutes of a draw, against a team they have beaten just once before.

Davies had the final say though, snapping a kick that sailed through and crushed the courageous visitors' hopes of claiming their first ever draw against Wales, after ten meetings.

"I was just thankful to get the opportunity to do it, hero or villain. Thankfully I was the hero," Davies said. "It's the kind of kick you visualise, winning a game for Wales."

In fairness to the boys, they set a good platform for me to put the drop-goal over. The message came on, but I already knew it may come down to a drop-goal."

Former Wales players have been blunt in their views of the performance, with Martyn Williams saying: "Wales are way off it. You can't gloss over that. It was a dire performance. Wales were so slow and pedestrian. It is a win but a real poor performance."

Interim coach Rob Howley meanwhile said that Japan deserved the win.

"It's relief more than frustration, but I thought Japan were the better team today and deserved to win. While we came away with a win, it certainly felt like a loss and Japan deserve the accolades they will get," he said.

Wales host South Africa next weekend in what should be a far tougher challenge.

5 Comments

  • stroudos
    3:31 PM 23/11/2016

    If Wales play like this again on Saturday, they may well provide South Africa with the morale-boosting win they so desperately need!!

  • drg
    8:04 PM 21/11/2016

    First and foremost, credit to Japan, they should have won! Incredible play by them.

    However, looking at the natural order of rugby, you should have England, Ireland, France and Wales, representing the NH, South Africa New Zealand and Australia representing the SH...any other teams in the globe, minus perhaps Scotland, shouldn't get a peek in.... This is the mindset because it's been the consistent order of the game for years.... So when Japan steps up and overthrows the boks, it's terrifying, but then the boks have struggled and struggled and Wales did pretty well in the 6N, so for them to nearly lose is a big shift.

    Main issue is Wales have been found out for their unimaginative predictable play that they have used for years, so to now work out a different plan will be hard.

  • drg
    7:59 PM 21/11/2016

    Totally agree rabbit! I don't mind an accident resulting in a penalty, but a deliberate act like that is something I'd rule as a clear desire to give up possession therefore turnover...

  • 7:51 PM 21/11/2016

    I think the Wales 9 got lucky at the end there. Tried to milk a penalty passing at a player lying on the ground and was lucky the ball came back to him to pass again - don't like to see that type of play.

  • tphillipsstl
    4:28 PM 21/11/2016

    Apparently pundits and fans alike in Wales are full of gloom and doom because of this result, and the others from this Autumn series. The Argentina and Australia matches aside, is this really such a bad result against a improved and still improving Japan sad when half the team was your second tier players, not to mention you are being led by your assistant coach?