Former NRL star Craig Wing scored a try in Japan’s history-making 23-8 win over Six Nations champions Wales, their first ever victory over a major rugby nation in nearly 80 years of international competition.
Second-half tries to former Sydney Roosters and South Sydney player Wing and fellow foreign-born teammate Michael Broadhurst helped re-write the record books for Japan against a depleted Wales, who were missing their head coach and 15 players because of the British and Irish Lions tour.
Despite the unfamiliar Welsh line-up, the result is a boost for rugby in Japan, the hosts of the 2019 World Cup who have played in all seven editions of the tournament so far but have won only once – against minnows Zimbabwe in 1991.
Japan played their first international fixtures in the 1930s, and they first took on a Wales XV in Cardiff in 1973. In nine full Test matches with Wales, Japan have been on the wrong end of some giant scores including a 98-0 blow-out in 2004.
However, steeled by last week’s narrow 22-18 defeat, Japan edged the first half 6-3 thanks to the boot of fullback Ayumu Goromaru, and after a Welsh try on 44 minutes they hit back with two of their own before wrapping up a worthy win.
In hot and humid conditions at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya Stadium, the hosts took an early lead through a Goromaru penalty but visiting flyhalf Dan Biggar levelled the scores before Welsh wing Harry Robinson came close to the opening try.
However, a long-range potshot from Goromaru six minutes before half-time gave Japan their three-point lead at the break.
Wales came out firing at the start of the second half and Robinson again went close before left wing Tom Prydie finally crossed following great work from replacement back Rhys Patchell and a long pass from Biggar.
But Japan quickly regained the initiative at 13-8 when Wing, also a former Kangaroos Test star, went over after steady build-up play involving a number of phases.
Wales responded by making a raft of substitutions, but they were forced into some last-ditch defending when Robinson and Liam Williams combined to halt Japanese number eight Takashi Kikutani just short of the line.
And New Zealand-born Broadhurst extended Japan’s lead when he went over in the right corner for their second try on the hour-mark, with Goromaru slotting the extras for a 20-8 lead with 20 minutes to go.
Welsh hopes took another hit when they were controversially denied a try after Patchell pounced on a grubber kick by Biggar, only to be judged not to have grounded the ball.
With three minutes left, Goromaru landed his third penalty to make sure of a win which prompted celebrations in Tokyo, and will also lift 15th-ranked Japan in their fight to join rugby’s top 10 by the next World Cup in 2015.
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