Wales earn clean sweep in Japan

13 April 2012
Japan 30 Wales 53

Andy Moore's Wales side had to battle back from a half-time deficit to seal a clean sweep of the two-Test series in Japan. The Japanese, smarting from their drubbing in the first Test in Osaka the previous week when they crashed 64-10, made six changes and were a far more potent force.

Having taken the lead with a sixth-minute penalty from right wing Kurihara, the home side conceded three tries in a 10-minute period midway through the first half. But they hit back as back-row man Kubo and wing Masuho touched down in the space of two minutes and Kurihara struck two conversions and a penalty to leave Japan a point ahead at the interval. Wales coach Lynn Howells said: 'It got a bit shabby in the first half and we tried to be too clever. We allowed them into the game, which was annoying.

'Japan read us better than they did in the first Test and they made it much more difficult for us. 'They were able to turn us over in the contact area and they must be congratulated for that.' Wales needed a good start to the second half and they got it when Bath flanker Gavin Thomas drove over for his second try from a close-range line out.

Following another Kurihara penalty, three Welsh tries in four minutes finally killed off the brave home side.

Shane Williams pounced on a loose kick to make it five tries in two games with a mesmerising 30-metre run and from the re-start, Bath scrum half Gareth Cooper's 40-metre break paved the way for debutant Tom Shanklin to touch down.

The Saracens wing doubled his tally two minutes later before Stephen Jones' superb cross-field kick picked out Gareth Thomas, who went over to

complete his hat-trick. Japan were rewarded for their persistence with a late try for full back Onozawa, but replacement centre Jamie Robinson crossed soon after to give Wales the final say.

JAPAN: Onozawa; Kurihara, Namba, Motoki, Masuho (Tuidraki, 60min); Iawabuchi, Murata; Hasegawa, Fakata (capt), Toyoyama, Vatuvei, Tanuma, Kubo (Ito, 60), Koizumi, Saito.

WALES: K Morgan; T Shanklin, G Thomas, A Durston, S Williams; S Jones, G Cooper; I Thomas, A Lewis, C Anthony, C Quinnell, A Moore (capt), N Budgett, G Thomas, G Lewis. Replacements: C Stephens, J Ringer, D Peel, J Robinson.

Referee: K Deaker (New Zealand).

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