Wales lose 18th consecutive Test after late capitulation against Eddie Jones' Japan
WALES WILTED IN the Kitakyushu heat to lose 24-19 to Japan and suffer an 18th successive Test defeat.
First-half tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try and a Sam Costelow conversion, gave Wales a 19-7 interval lead and hopes of a first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup 21 months ago.
But Japan dominated the second half and tries from Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, plus nine points from the boot of Seungsin Lee, piled on more misery for Wales.
Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones said he had hoped for a hot day to 'run Wales off their feet' and the oppressive conditions – with the temperature above 30 degrees Celsius as well as high humidity – meant water breaks in each half and an extended interval.
A slippery ball produced countless handling errors and there was often little rhythm to a disrupted contest that took over two hours to complete.
Eddie Jones' 13th-ranked side earned a famous win in the first game of a two-Test series. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
Taulupe Faletau, Nicky Smith, Ben Thomas and Blair Murray survived from the 68-14 thrashing to England in the Six Nations as interim head coach Matt Sherratt made 11 changes.
Number eight Faletau – the fifth-most capped Welshman – made his 109th appearance but it was largely an inexperienced line-up with six starters having fewer than 10 caps.
Wales' fall from grace had left them in 12th place on World Rugby's rankings table, one spot above Japan, and it was very much a meeting between two teams in transition.
There was a worrying start to the contest as Ben Carter took a hit to the side of the head inside 30 seconds.
Carter slumped to the ground after attempting to make a tackle and there was a lengthy stoppage before the second row forward was taken away on a stretcher.
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Wales immediately shrugged off that blow as Faletau exploited space profited from a line-out ploy to send Thomas over with a well-timed pass and Costelow converted.
Japan were on the backfoot and struggling to get out of their own half, but scored from their first attack after 16 minutes as winger Kippei Ishida sliced through midfield to set up Matsunaga and Lee's kick restored parity.
Wales hit the front again with a penalty try after Nakakusu, who had replaced the injured Matsunaga moments earlier, deliberately slapped the ball away as Josh Adams closed on Kieran Hardy's chip by the try line.
Nakakusu suffered further punishment with a yellow card, and Wales took advantage of their extra man after Japan had found touch from the kick-off.
Faletau broke away from a scrum going backwards and Hardy, Costelow and Johnny Williams moved the ball on for Rogers to scamper into the corner.
The tide turned in the second half as Amato Fakatava saw his effort ruled out for a Shinobu Fujiwara knock-on, but Japan were not to be denied after going through the phases.
Rogers slipped off a tackle and Nakakusu dived over with Lee adding the extras and soon reducing the deficit to two points with a penalty.
Japan got their noses in front for the first time as replacement Vailea barged over and Lee's sparked celebrations that continued until the final whistle.
The two-match series will conclude in Kobe next Saturday.
Maori All Blacks 26-29 Scotland
Arron Reed was among the Scotland scorers (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo
Scotland edged the Maori All Blacks 29-26 in Whangarei earlier on Saturday, holding off a spirited fightback from the hosts to start their Pacific tour with a win.
In front of a sellout crowd at Semenoff Stadium, Scotland overcame a sluggish start and a tired finish, riding the sound of bagpipes in the final stages for a tense victory.
The Maori All Blacks caught Scotland off guard with a try inside 40 seconds.
At the first opportunity they spread the ball wide to the left, then a cute chip, chase and offload from Bailyn Sullivan put scrum half Sam Nock over.
Scotland awoke and struck back 10 minutes later, Harry Paterson dotting down just before the dead ball line after chasing down a grubber kick.
Sloppy play by the hosts allowed Scotland to extend their advantage, fumbling a high bomb before watching the scramble for the ball roll 50 metres into their own territory with scrum-half George Horne eventually scoring his first of the afternoon.
Isaia Walker-Leawere found a response in the 32nd minute after sustained pressure on the Scotland line, which also saw Alexander Masibaka yellow carded minutes into his debut off the bench.
Despite being a man down, Scotland struck once more on the stroke of half-time, Arron Reed collecting another grubber kick to score with no defender in sight.
Horne scored his second in the 53rd minute, Scotland using added space created by two Maori All Blacks being sent to the bin, stretching the field and breaking for a stunning team try.
Maori All Blacks captain Kurt Eklund scored from a rolling maul with just over 20 minutes remaining to give his side hope.
Gideon Wrampling rampaged over a tired, ramshackle Scottish defence with 14 minutes remaining, making it a three-point game
But Scotland held firm, pipes blaring from the banks of the ground, for a victorious start to their tour.
- With reporting from AFP
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The 42
42 minutes ago
- The 42
A day at Randwick, the most famous rugby club in Australia
IT'S JUST BEFORE midday and the winter sun is shining at Coogee beach in Sydney. Or 'County Coogee' as it's known due to the many Irish accents around the place. That Irish lilt is noticeable across the road at the Coogee Oval, home to Australia's most famous rugby club. Randwick has a central role in Aussie rugby. Even at this relatively early hour, the club is abuzz. The third grade team are into the second half of their clash with Sydney University. The fourth grade sides from both clubs are already finished, having kicked off at 10.25am. Rap tunes are blaring from the changing rooms, letting you know that Randwick's second grade side are getting ready for their game at 1.05pm. And the first grade players are milling about the place, with the main event to come at 3.05pm. This is how things work in Aussie rugby. One club hosts all the teams from the other. The U20 sides are playing in the nearby Nagle Park, with the first of the three games at that level kicking off as early as 9.45am. Everyone eventually gathers at Coogee Oval and the whole atmosphere builds towards the first grade clash in the Shute Shield, the annual club competition in New South Wales made up nearly exclusively of Sydney clubs. The rivalries are ferocious. Bragging rights are on the line, with the overall tallies of wins across the day watched closely. 'I don't know why they don't do this in Irish rugby,' says Randwick first grade head coach Shaun Berne, who played for Leinster from 2009 until 2011 and then started his coaching career in Ireland. 'By the time second grade's kicking off, fourth grade are having a drink, watching their mates, cheering their club. The opposition's doing the same thing. 'All their friends and family are turning up, there's the old old boys coming in. And then by 3 o'clock, all of a sudden there's a crowd to support the first grade game.' Randwick head coach Shaun Berne. It's a special thing to witness, particularly in a place like Randwick. This club has a rich history, having produced coaches like Michael Cheika, Eddie Jones, Ewen McKenzie, Bob Dwyer, Alan Gaffney, and over 100 Wallabies players, including the three Ella brothers. Randwick took on the All Blacks here in 1988. Cheika played in that game, then brought his Argentina side to play the 'Wicks at the Coogee Oval in a warm-up match before the 2019 World Cup. Jones visited Randwick with the Japan U23 side back in April, with Berne's men winning that one. But this lovely winter's day is all about how the 'Galloping Greens' fare against Sydney Uni. Walk in the gate and the first person to say hello is Alex Molloy, who has shone for Old Wesley in the All-Ireland League in recent years but recently moved to Sydney. Molloy just made his debut for 'the 4s', coming on for the last few minutes as he returned from injury. He is the first of many Irish faces in Randwick. That 4s team also included former Clontarf man Ed Brennan. Standing alongside Berne up in the stand is Donegal man Campbell Classon, who played for Terenure in the AIL up until moving to Sydney a year ago. He's part of the Randwick first-grade team and works in construction. Mark Harrison, the club's general manager, is floating around making sure everything is running smoothly. He played for Randwick during their glory days in the 1980s when they won seven of their overall 32 Shute Shields. It was hard to get in the first grade team then and it remains so even now. With the smell of burgers and brisket wafting in the air and cans of beer being dished out of the well-organised club shop, the second grade sides have kicked off. The quality is good, with a huge amount of running rugby. This is the Randwick way. 'There's no kid who grows up and wants to just be part of a box kick,' says Berne, who was a creative centre or out-half, playing more than 65 first-grade games for the Wicks and captained them to the 2004 Shute Shield. His pro career involved time with Bath, the Waratahs, and Calvisano, as well as Australia A. Advertisement 'That kid wants to pick up the ball and try to score a try, and run over there and find space.' Former Clontarf man Mick Courtney is on the wing for the 2s and nearly scores a wonder try. Perhaps the pick of the bunch of tries in Randwick's win sees Irish out-half Callum Smith find Irish loosehead prop Emmet Burns with a slick inside pass before Burns offloads for a brilliant score. Burns, who overcame cancer a few years ago, used to play for UCD, while Smith was once part of the Ulster set-up and then starred for Terenure in recent years. The out-half is just coming back from a serious injury. 'They're called frenemies here,' says Berne with a smile. 'You're the enemy on the other side of the world in Dublin or in Ireland, then they become friends here.' While the Irish lads are weaving magic on the pitch, first grade captain Joel Ellis is explaining that Randwick is a core part of his life. He grew up a few 100 metres from the Coogee Oval and has played for the club since leaving school eight years ago. Every team in the club trains on Tuesday and Thursday nights, with the 1s also gathering on Mondays for video review and skills. 'We're like an AIL Division 1A team,' says Berne. Gym work is done in their own time because the vast majority of them have day jobs. Ellis is part of the family plumbing business. 'Joel works hard Monday to Friday doing that,' says Berne later. 'And then he has to turn up on Tuesday and, you know, bash heads with blokes and then Saturday, he goes out and gets his body sore. He wakes up Sunday, has a day to himself, then does it all again.' Ellis points to scrum-half Tas Smith on the second grade team. Smith has just played a full season of Major League Rugby for LA, coached by Randwick man Stephen Hoiles, Berne's predecessor. Ellis considered going over to the US but is sticking with the Wicks for now. As Ellis and his team-mates head off to prepare for the main event, the atmosphere is building. By now, the 3s, 4s and U20s are gathering in their special stand on the far side of the pitch, seated around a big Esky cooler full of beers. They're ready to make some noise. Tucked away in the office at the top of the stand is Chris Fraser, the timekeeper and scoreboard operator for every single game. He's the kind of friendly, long-serving volunteer that makes any sports club possible. More fans are flowing in, some recognisable faces among them. There's Hoiles, just back from the States. Ex-Wallaby centre Morgan Tirinui, now a pundit on Stan Sport, is here too. Tirinui's son, Felix, delivered a classy crossfield kick for the winning try against the Japan U23s in April. Omar Hassanein, the CEO of International Rugby Players, is gathered in the old boys' corner beside the beer stand on the beach side of the pitch. He grew up close to the Oval and is meeting his former Randwick team-mates to watch the rugby. The Randwick community is tight-knit and the network is strong. They lean on each other. 'Earlier in the year when we had that Japan game, Eddie Jones came back and watched us play Parramatta, the Two Blues, that Saturday and he presented jerseys to the guys making their debut that day,' says Berne. 'Then recently, Emmet Burns and a few others were making their first-grade debuts and I called up Paul Cheika, Michael's brother. Paul was actually a better player, a prop and a hard man. Paul played 296 games for Randwick and was a Premiership-winning first-grade captain. 'So it just makes it special, that community feel.' It's nearly showtime, but first there's a ceremony to mark Indigenous Round in the Shute Shield. The Ella brothers – Mark, Glen, and Gary – are the most famous Indigenous Wallabies of them all and Randwick is deeply proud of them. Today, it's former Wallaby and Randwick man Lloyd Walker who leads the ceremony, a 20-minute celebration of Aboriginal culture. When the Randwick team are warming up, they wear a special Indigenous-themed jersey designed by Wallabies wing Dylan Pietsch, another Randwick man with Aboriginal ancestry. By now, the place is heaving, everyone kitted out in something that sports the Randwick logo. Young kids tear around the place with big bags, competing to collect the most empty beer cans in order to earn the top prize for cleaning up. And after Randwick and Sydney University line up for the national anthem, we're underway. Berne's men need a win to give their play-off hopes a major boost and they get it. It's a commanding 40-17 win in the end as their attractive brand of rugby proves too much for their Sydney rivals. The quality is high, with some excellent players on show. Terenure man Mick Melia is a key figure in the second row with his physicality and skills, having been pivotal when his Dublin club won the AIL in 2023. By now, there's a big crew of Terenure folk gathered on the touchline, all of them part of the Randwick family even if they don't play. They're heading onto the Lions' clash with the Waratahs after this. Colm de Buitléar, also part of that 2023 AIL-winning side, has been sidelined by injury this season, but he's a Randwick man and can enjoy watching the 1s rack up a crucial win over Sydney Uni. Front row Classon comes off the bench to show his silky handling, while former Leinster underage back row Matthew Bursey carries hard at number eight. The athleticism of these first-grade players is impressive, which is no surprise given that some of the Australians have professional aspirations. Out-half James Hendren is on the books with the Waratahs and spent the week helping them to prepare to face the Lions. 'James is a tallish, lanky sort of guy that runs a bit like a Stephen Larkham, covers the ground quickly and reads the game really well,' says Berne before the game. Hendren runs in a stunning solo try and kicks beautifully throughout. He hopes that playing for Randwick can launch him onto bigger and better things, like many players before him. The Shute Shield is also a great development ground for ambitious coaches. It has been the ideal place for Berne's re-entry into full-time coaching. He started off in Ireland with Coolmine RFC and St Mary's College, two different experiences which taught him that context is everything. He began working as an elite player development officer with Leinster in 2015 but returned to Australia two years later to join the Western Force staff and then move on to the Rebels. In 2019, Berne stepped up as a Wallabies assistant coach to Cheika for the World Cup following the departure of Stephen Larkham. With the Rebels disbanding, Berne left rugby a few years ago and was working with analysis software company Hudl until Randwick came calling. He's not sure where this role will lead – he has a 10-year-old daughter and eight-year-old twin sons to consider – but it's clear that he is loving being back home in Randwick. He's a happy man by the final whistle, a big bonus-point win lifting them above Sydney Uni into sixth in the ladder with five more regular-season rounds to go. Randwick have won just one Shute Shield in the last 20 years, but they always aim for the pinnacle. The players gather huddle up in their changing room under the stand and as darkness falls over Coogee Oval, they belt out the club song heartily. McNamara's Band is fitting. Oh, my name is McNamara I'm the leader of the band Although we're few in number We're the finest in the land Oh, Hennesy, Tennessy tootles the flute The music's something grand A credit to old Ireland Is McNamara's band Da da da da, da da da da Hey, up the Wicks!
The 42
10 hours ago
- The 42
'You don't coach someone for 10 years and not have a relationship with them'
JOE SCHMIDT IS wearing a green tie and as he discusses a win over Fiji in his precise, well-pronounced way, you'd nearly think you were back in 2018. Mention of the Lions brings you swiftly back into the media room at MacDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, a couple of hours north of Sydney. Schmidt's Wallabies have just squeezed their way to a 21-18 victory over an exciting Fijian team, a late try from captain Harry Wilson sparing the hosts from defeat in their first Test of the year and their only game before the Lions series. The former Ireland head coach is relieved and frustrated. He knows his side haven't played well but is keen to stress that Fiji deserve respect. Schmidt mentions that England only just beat the Fijians in quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup, a tournament in which Eddie Jones' Australia lost to Fiji. Schmidt admits that it was 'inevitable to a degree' that his Wallabies players have been thinking about the three-Test series with the Lions that lies ahead. Well, now there are no distractions as he and his players hone in on the first clash in Brisbane in two weeks. Schmidt will be up against many familiar faces, with his former Ireland assistant Andy Farrell leading a Lions coaching staff that includes Schmidt's old defence coach Simon Easterby and his former on-pitch talisman Johnny Sexton. Schmidt has already coached against Farrell and Easterby, with some success. It was impossible to miss Schmidt's fingerprints all over New Zealand's 2023 World Cup quarter-final win over Ireland when he was an All Blacks assistant. Schmidt's Wallabies also gave Farrell's side a serious test last autumn in Dublin. But Sexton being in the opposition coaching box is a new one for Schmidt. 'I'm sure I will have a coffee with them at some stage,' he says. 'You don't coach someone [Sexton] for 10 years and not have a relationship with them and the same with coaching with Andy. It's one of the things I love about rugby. Joe Schmidt and Johnny Sexton in 2016. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO 'I caught up with Mick Byrne [the Fiji head coach] on Friday and some of the coaches, and it was great. Their analyst was our analyst at the Blues in 2007 so there is so much overlap between people that are good people, and you enjoy their company and you know not to talk rugby anyway.' Yet Farrell and Schmidt have spoken about rugby in recent times. It's understood they agreed that the Lions and Wallabies would do their utmost to keep the media chat to rugby during this series. No one wants a repeat of the toxic vibes of 2021 in South Africa. What they do want is a genuine battle in this series. The Lions are viewed as favourites, largely due to the Wallabies still being in recovery mode after the disastrous Eddie Jones experiment. The Australians improved under Schmidt last year but they are ranked eighth in the world. Their performance today against Fiji will only add to the sense that this is a prime opportunity for the Lions. Schmidt knows that his men are underdogs. 'It's not really a mindset that we've have time to consider, but I'm sure externally it'll look like that,' he says. Advertisement 'We didn't play well enough today for people to have expectation that we'll come bowling into Brisbane and knock the Lions over. 'I'm not sure that expectation was there before today, and so we're going to have to build that quiet resolve and inch by inch we can work our way towards that.' Schmidt and the Wallabies will be watching closely tomorrow when the Lions name their team to face the Brumbies in Wednesday's warm-up game in Canberra. 'I'll be interested to see who plays against the Brumbies because I think shaking towards the Test match that will give us a little bit more prediction in terms of who's going to be where and that will give us an indication of what might best help us to put pressure on them,' says the New Zealander. Schmidt was disappointed at how his Wallabies side became loose against Fiji, as well as missing a few key opportunities to score tries and give themselves breathing room on the scoreboard. Schmidt before today's game in Newcastle. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo He was happy to report that out-half Noah Lolesio should be OK. The Wallabies playmaker was carted off in a neck brace after suffering a head injury in the second half against Fiji, but Schmidt believes he will be fine. The Wallabies are due to name their squad for the Lions series on Friday and it sounds like Lolesio will be part of it. 'Noah's first question he asked me was, 'Did we win?' He was still very much focused on the game and appeared to be in good shape,' says Schmidt. 'That's the first thing and the most important thing. 'I think it was whiplash and his head hit the ground, so I'm hopeful that that's going to be something that will resolve itself reasonably quickly. But at the same time, we're going to make sure that he's OK and we don't take any risks we don't need to there, which is the same as Dave Porecki who came off with an HIA.' Schmidt is also hopeful that lock Will Skelton, back row Rob Valetini, and scrum-half Jake Gordon – who weren't involved in the Fiji game due to injury – will be back for the first Lions Test. Skelton and Valetini's directness was missed against the Fijians, as was Gordon's calm and accurate play at number nine. The reality is that Schmidt knows he needs everyone fit and firing if he's to pull off a series victory over the Lions. Asked about his confidence levels, Schmidt says he just wants to make Australian people proud. 'I'm not a really confident sort of person. There's not real confidence but there's a quiet resolve. 'And that quiet resolve, hopefully over the three-match series can build to something that will earn us the support of a very interested group. It's a great opportunity for us to bring the game back to the focus point that we'd love it to be in Australia. 'We've loved our week in Newcastle. People have stopped us in the street, they've taken a real interest in the game, they've milled around the team hotel and encouraged players in passing. You saw the crowd there today. 'If that's a taste of what's to come, I know that was a small bite and there's some big mouthfuls to come.'
RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Gerwyn Price prevails in last-leg thriller at Poland Darts Masters
Gerwyn Price dragged himself back from the brink of defeat to snatch the Superbet Poland Darts Masters title from Stephen Bunting in a dramatic final. The Welshman, who had checked out on 137 to level at 2-2, trailed 4-2 at the interval at the PreZero Arena in Gliwice, but fought back to lead 7-5. Bunting reduced the deficit and then saw his opponent miss three match darts at double top as he took it to a final leg, which Price, who averaged more than 103, clinched with a single 17, double 17, double-top finish to prevail 8-7. Speaking on stage afterwards, he said: "I missed loads of doubles in that game – I missed three darts at double top, my favourite double, and then obviously a couple of legs where I missed loads and loads of doubles. "But to go in the final leg when Stephen is sat on a double and go double, double when I couldn't hit one all night, then fantastic. I'm over the moon." Bunting earned his place in the final with a crushing 7-3 victory over world champion Luke Littler in the last four. Littler survived five match darts and hit a 170 finish at 6-2 to prolong his evening, but only briefly as his opponent produced a treble 18, double 16 out-shot to progress. Price overpowered Rob Cross with a superb display of finishing, recovering from a 2-0 deficit to win seven of the next eight legs and also go through 7-3. Littler had earlier taken out another 'big fish' on his way to a 6-3 quarter-final victory over Nathan Aspinall, in the process gaining revenge for back-to-back World Series defeats by his compatriot in Copenhagen and New York. Price cruised to a 6-2 win over Chris Dobey, but Cross was not at his best as he edged past Michael van Gerwen 6-4 and Bunting needed a deciding leg to see off Poland number one Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5.
