The long wait for a win is over for Welsh rugby as Dewi Lake’s side squared the series in Japan with a 31-22 triumph in Kobe. There were four tries, two of them from scrum half Kieran Hardy, and 16 points from his Ospreys half back partner Dan Edwards, as the 18 match losing streak was brought to an end. For many of the side it was their first win in a Welsh shirt and it provided interim head coach Matt Sherratt with his first taste of victory in his fifth game in charge. He had said pre-match that it wasn’t about ending a losing run, but kick-starting a new era for his Welsh team and this win was just the shot in the arm the game in Wales needed. After losing the opening game in Kitakyushu 24-19 last weekend Sherratt made four changes to his starting XV. Among those changes were Aaron Wainwright, who shone at No 8, and Edwards, making his first start for Wales at outside half. There were also three new caps off the bench, all of who played their part. Keelan Giles was a half time replacement for Josh Adams, Chris Coleman came on at tight head prop and Reuben Morgan-Williams, who took over from injured centre Johnny Williams. Wales wanted a positive start and they got exactly that when Josh Adams raced in for the first try of the game after only nine minutes. The spade work was done in midfield after turnover ball with neat footwork and inter-passsing between Ben Thomas and Blair Murray created a hole for the outstanding Wales full back to race through. Having breached the Japanese defensive line, Murray gave Adams an unimpeded 35 metre run in to the try line. Dan Edwards added the extras. The early stages were dominated by kicking from both sides and it soon became obvious that the searing heat under the closed roof was making handling difficult. The Welsh scrum and line out functioned more efficiently and effectively than it had done in the first Test and provided launch-pads for a range of attacks. Adams could have scored a second had he been able to hold onto a bouncing ball that popped up five metres out form the home line after a great break and kick through by Aaron Wainwright. He was disappointed with himself, but it wouldn’t have counted anyway because the TMO picked up a high tackle earlier in the move and awarded a penalty to the home side. Up stepped Seungsin Lee, and over went a penalty from the Welsh 10 metre line to give the Japanese their first points of the match. The Welsh response was emphatic as they used three successive penalties to create a sniping try from close range by scrum half Kieran Hardy. That try, once again converted by Edwards, came with a bonus for Wales as English referee Luke Pearce sent Japanese No 8 Faulua Makisi to the sin bin for repeated offences. Lake’s men took full advantage of their extra man as they conjured up a second try for Hardy. Some excellent back line passing gave Adams a chance to break clear and after he cut the Japanese defence to ribbons he passed inside on the 22 to give Hardy a clear run to the posts. Edwards’ conversion made it 21-3. Eddie Jones, the Japanese coach, had had enough and after the conversion changed his entire front row two minutes before the break. If that indicated his displeasure, it proved a master stroke. At the first scrum after their introduction, tight head Shuhei Takeuchi won a penalty. The home side kicked for a line out and it was Takeuchi who eventually crashed over at the posts for a try that Lee converted to cut the gap to 11 points at the break. Japan upped the tempo at the start of the second half and created wave after wave of attacks. Edwards kicked a penalty to make it 24-10 in the 48th minute, but a brace of home tries made it 24-22 in the 62nd minute. Lock Walter Dearns picked up the first after he had created the opening with a charge down of a Hardy kick near half-way. That went unconverted, but Lee improved a breakaway score from centre Dylan Riley after a Welsh pass went to ground on half-way. Now it was a test of character for the Welsh side, who had been overtaken in the final quarter in the first Test. This time, though, they were up to the task, conjuring up a matchwinning try for Edwards five minutes from time. The young outside half added the extras to take his personal tally for the match to 16 points and Wales were winners again. Now they can head home and prepare for a decider against Japan when they meet in the second game of the Autumn Nations Series in Cardiff on 15 November.

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