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RNZ News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Relief for Wales as win over Japan brings losing streak to an end
Welsh rugby player Josh Adams of Wales celebrates scoring a try with a team mate, in his team's 31-22 over Japan, in July 2025. Photo: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency Relief for Welsh rugby who've finally ended their record losing streak with a 31-22 victory over Japan, which has spared them the ignominy of going down as the worst side in test rugby. Wales held on for a narrow and nervy triumph in Kobe to level the two-test series, their first win after a streak of 18 successive defeats. Again they had a handy halftime lead over their Japanese hosts but, unlike in last week's first loss in Kitakyushu, this time they managed to hold on and claim success. "We were braver than last week. Last week we got in front and we probably tried to hold on to a lead," said Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt, who was in tears at the end of the encounter. "When you have not won a game for a period of time, you start to get edgy, so the messaging this week was to be braver." Wales captain Dewi Lake added: "It wasn't pretty but it's an important landmark for us today, to get that first win back on the board." Had Wales lost they would have set a record losing streak for a Tier One side, surpassing the sequence of France between 1911 and 1920. The win was their first test victory in 644 days, since beating Georgia in Nantes in the last of their group matches at the 2023 World Cup in France. The losing run has seen Wales slip to a low of 12th in the World Rugby rankings. Sherratt thanked long-suffering fans, adding: "Even during the Six Nations, I know it's been a hard time to support Wales. I hope you can enjoy tonight because we are certainly going to enjoy the next 24 hours." Englishman Sherratt , who is the Cardiff coach, agreed to stay on for the two matches in Japan after taking over on a caretaker basis during the Six Nations when Warren Gatland left. Wales will now turn to appointing a permanent coach as they look to the November internationals when they host Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa at the Principality Stadium in back-to-back matches. - Reuters
North Wales Chronicle
12-07-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Matt Sherratt wants Wales' win against Japan ‘to be the start of something'
A hard-fought performance saw Kieran Hardy score two tries along with efforts from Josh Adams and Dan Edwards as Wales held off a second-half Japan comeback to clinch the win at the Noevir Stadium. It earned Wales their first Test win since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup. 🚨 𝙎𝙜ô𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙡 | 🇯🇵22-31🏴 Buddugoliaeth ❤️🙌#WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt took over as interim head coach following the departure of Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February and he hopes Saturday's win can help his successor start with a clean slate. 'A very passionate group of players and staff. There's some real talent as well,' Sherratt told a post-match press conference. 'Today is the end of a long season, but for Welsh rugby it's got to be the start of something. 'The next guy coming in – the big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck. 'That was a big motivation for me coming in. The work's got to be done now with the national coaches in the regions, lets get into the regions and help develop a good young group of players.' 🚨 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙧 | 🇯🇵10-21🏴 A brace from Hardy & a Josh Adams score gives us the lead at the break. #WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt had overseen four of those 18 defeats coming into Saturday's contest and expressed his delight for Wales' players and staff to finally earn a win as emotions ran high at full-time. He added: 'For me, it's about the people. As I said before, I've genuinely never wanted to win a game of rugby so much. 'I'm not around it being win or loss. I'm more around I know what the group has put in – I've been around for four games, but I see what it means to them, what it means to the staff. 'I was so pleased for this group, there's not been a more deserving group that I've worked with, so it was pretty emotional. 'I had to get Gethin Jenkins to give me a slap around the face to get in check because as you'd seen, I could have easily embarrassed myself on TV.' Wales took a 21-10 lead into half-time thanks to efforts from Adams and Hardy, before Shuhei Takeuchi scored before the break. Edwards' penalty extended the visitors' advantage, but they suddenly found themselves in trouble when converted tries from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley closed the gap to two points. However, Wales were able to see the game out after a brilliant piece of individual skill from Taine Plumtree saw him fire a reverse pass into Edwards and the fly-half dived over the line to wrap up the win. Reflecting on the game, skipper Dewi Lake added: 'I'm over the moon, it's been a long time coming. 'I look back at tough results we've had over the last 18 months, couple of one-pointers, couple of two-pointers. We were probably in the driving seat last week and let it slip. 'To dig in and get the job done today is an amazing feeling.'
Leader Live
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Matt Sherratt wants Wales' win against Japan ‘to be the start of something'
A hard-fought performance saw Kieran Hardy score two tries along with efforts from Josh Adams and Dan Edwards as Wales held off a second-half Japan comeback to clinch the win at the Noevir Stadium. It earned Wales their first Test win since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup. 🚨 𝙎𝙜ô𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙡 | 🇯🇵22-31🏴 Buddugoliaeth ❤️🙌#WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt took over as interim head coach following the departure of Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February and he hopes Saturday's win can help his successor start with a clean slate. 'A very passionate group of players and staff. There's some real talent as well,' Sherratt told a post-match press conference. 'Today is the end of a long season, but for Welsh rugby it's got to be the start of something. 'The next guy coming in – the big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck. 'That was a big motivation for me coming in. The work's got to be done now with the national coaches in the regions, lets get into the regions and help develop a good young group of players.' 🚨 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙧 | 🇯🇵10-21🏴 A brace from Hardy & a Josh Adams score gives us the lead at the break. #WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt had overseen four of those 18 defeats coming into Saturday's contest and expressed his delight for Wales' players and staff to finally earn a win as emotions ran high at full-time. He added: 'For me, it's about the people. As I said before, I've genuinely never wanted to win a game of rugby so much. 'I'm not around it being win or loss. I'm more around I know what the group has put in – I've been around for four games, but I see what it means to them, what it means to the staff. 'I was so pleased for this group, there's not been a more deserving group that I've worked with, so it was pretty emotional. 'I had to get Gethin Jenkins to give me a slap around the face to get in check because as you'd seen, I could have easily embarrassed myself on TV.' Wales took a 21-10 lead into half-time thanks to efforts from Adams and Hardy, before Shuhei Takeuchi scored before the break. Edwards' penalty extended the visitors' advantage, but they suddenly found themselves in trouble when converted tries from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley closed the gap to two points. However, Wales were able to see the game out after a brilliant piece of individual skill from Taine Plumtree saw him fire a reverse pass into Edwards and the fly-half dived over the line to wrap up the win. Reflecting on the game, skipper Dewi Lake added: 'I'm over the moon, it's been a long time coming. 'I look back at tough results we've had over the last 18 months, couple of one-pointers, couple of two-pointers. We were probably in the driving seat last week and let it slip. 'To dig in and get the job done today is an amazing feeling.'
Rhyl Journal
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Matt Sherratt wants Wales' win against Japan ‘to be the start of something'
A hard-fought performance saw Kieran Hardy score two tries along with efforts from Josh Adams and Dan Edwards as Wales held off a second-half Japan comeback to clinch the win at the Noevir Stadium. It earned Wales their first Test win since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup. 🚨 𝙎𝙜ô𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙡 | 🇯🇵22-31🏴 Buddugoliaeth ❤️🙌#WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt took over as interim head coach following the departure of Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February and he hopes Saturday's win can help his successor start with a clean slate. 'A very passionate group of players and staff. There's some real talent as well,' Sherratt told a post-match press conference. 'Today is the end of a long season, but for Welsh rugby it's got to be the start of something. 'The next guy coming in – the big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck. 'That was a big motivation for me coming in. The work's got to be done now with the national coaches in the regions, lets get into the regions and help develop a good young group of players.' 🚨 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙧 | 🇯🇵10-21🏴 A brace from Hardy & a Josh Adams score gives us the lead at the break. #WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt had overseen four of those 18 defeats coming into Saturday's contest and expressed his delight for Wales' players and staff to finally earn a win as emotions ran high at full-time. He added: 'For me, it's about the people. As I said before, I've genuinely never wanted to win a game of rugby so much. 'I'm not around it being win or loss. I'm more around I know what the group has put in – I've been around for four games, but I see what it means to them, what it means to the staff. 'I was so pleased for this group, there's not been a more deserving group that I've worked with, so it was pretty emotional. 'I had to get Gethin Jenkins to give me a slap around the face to get in check because as you'd seen, I could have easily embarrassed myself on TV.' Wales took a 21-10 lead into half-time thanks to efforts from Adams and Hardy, before Shuhei Takeuchi scored before the break. Edwards' penalty extended the visitors' advantage, but they suddenly found themselves in trouble when converted tries from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley closed the gap to two points. However, Wales were able to see the game out after a brilliant piece of individual skill from Taine Plumtree saw him fire a reverse pass into Edwards and the fly-half dived over the line to wrap up the win. Reflecting on the game, skipper Dewi Lake added: 'I'm over the moon, it's been a long time coming. 'I look back at tough results we've had over the last 18 months, couple of one-pointers, couple of two-pointers. We were probably in the driving seat last week and let it slip. 'To dig in and get the job done today is an amazing feeling.'
South Wales Argus
12-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Matt Sherratt wants Wales' win against Japan ‘to be the start of something'
A hard-fought performance saw Kieran Hardy score two tries along with efforts from Josh Adams and Dan Edwards as Wales held off a second-half Japan comeback to clinch the win at the Noevir Stadium. It earned Wales their first Test win since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup. Sherratt took over as interim head coach following the departure of Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February and he hopes Saturday's win can help his successor start with a clean slate. 'A very passionate group of players and staff. There's some real talent as well,' Sherratt told a post-match press conference. 'Today is the end of a long season, but for Welsh rugby it's got to be the start of something. 'The next guy coming in – the big motivation for the group was to let whoever that is start on a level playing field without the burden of the 18 in a row around his neck. 'That was a big motivation for me coming in. The work's got to be done now with the national coaches in the regions, lets get into the regions and help develop a good young group of players.' 🚨 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙧 | 🇯🇵10-21🏴 A brace from Hardy & a Josh Adams score gives us the lead at the break. #WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 12, 2025 Sherratt had overseen four of those 18 defeats coming into Saturday's contest and expressed his delight for Wales' players and staff to finally earn a win as emotions ran high at full-time. He added: 'For me, it's about the people. As I said before, I've genuinely never wanted to win a game of rugby so much. 'I'm not around it being win or loss. I'm more around I know what the group has put in – I've been around for four games, but I see what it means to them, what it means to the staff. 'I was so pleased for this group, there's not been a more deserving group that I've worked with, so it was pretty emotional. 'I had to get Gethin Jenkins to give me a slap around the face to get in check because as you'd seen, I could have easily embarrassed myself on TV.' Wales took a 21-10 lead into half-time thanks to efforts from Adams and Hardy, before Shuhei Takeuchi scored before the break. Dewi Lake admitted he was 'over the moon' (Joe Giddens/PA) Edwards' penalty extended the visitors' advantage, but they suddenly found themselves in trouble when converted tries from Warner Dearns and Dylan Riley closed the gap to two points. However, Wales were able to see the game out after a brilliant piece of individual skill from Taine Plumtree saw him fire a reverse pass into Edwards and the fly-half dived over the line to wrap up the win. Reflecting on the game, skipper Dewi Lake added: 'I'm over the moon, it's been a long time coming. 'I look back at tough results we've had over the last 18 months, couple of one-pointers, couple of two-pointers. We were probably in the driving seat last week and let it slip. 'To dig in and get the job done today is an amazing feeling.'
