World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Wales let themselves down despite win – Lake
Wales captain Dewi Lake said his side let themselves down in a lacklustre 28-21 win over Japan in Cardiff, despite claiming a bonus point. The result gives Wales a confidence boost, but Lake and head coach Steve Tandy said the performance exposed weaknesses ahead of tougher Tests.
Josh Adams scored twice, with Archie Griffin and Louis Rees-Zammit also crossing, as Wales earned their second win in four Nations Championship games. A crowd of 52,425 watched Wales secure only Steve Tandy’s fourth victory in 13 Tests; New Zealand visit Cardiff next Saturday, followed by Australia on 21 November. Japan coach Eddie Jones called the defeat a missed opportunity, saying his side failed to turn three visits to Wales’s 22 into points.
In short
- Wales beat Japan 28-21 but were unhappy with their performance.
- Josh Adams scored two tries in the bonus-point win.
- New Zealand and Australia are next for Wales.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Wales should treat the performance as a warning despite the win: Japan created pressure, and Wales’s inability to turn a bonus-point result into a convincing display suggests weaknesses that stronger opponents could exploit. With New Zealand and Australia coming next, honest scrutiny now could help the team improve while there is still time.
The case against
The win and four tries give Wales a valuable confidence boost, and a lacklustre performance need not erase the achievement of securing only their second victory in four Nations Championship games. Against a Japan side that also had chances but failed to convert them, Wales can take encouragement from finding ways to score and build on the result ahead of tougher Tests.
Explained simply
Wales is one of the teams in international rugby union, and Cardiff’s Principality Stadium is its main home ground. The side is led by captain Dewi Lake and coached by Steve Tandy; Japan’s team is coached by Eddie Jones.
The Nations Championship is a competition involving leading national teams, with matches giving them a chance to test themselves against different opponents. Wales’s results matter both for its standing in the competition and for preparing the team for other international fixtures.