(Written by Azul:August 3, 2025)
The third match of the Japan national rugby team’s test match series was held at NOEVIR Stadium in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, on July 12, 2025. The kickoff time on the day of the match was 2:30 PM, during the hottest part of the summer day. The temperature inside the stadium felt like over 33 degrees Celsius.
On this day, the stadium’s retractable roof was closed, so direct sunlight was avoided, but it was still quite hot. In this heat, not only the players but also the spectators were tested for their endurance against the heat. Although the NOEVIR Stadium reportedly uses air conditioning, it was not at all cool.
Let us now review the Japan national team’s test matches so far this season.
| Date | Opponent | match venue | Result | |
| 1 | 6/28 | Maori All Blacks | Tokyo | ２０－５３● |
| 2 | 7/5 | Wales | Kitakyushu | ２４－１９〇 |
| 3 | 7/12 | Wales | Kobe | |
| 4 | 8/30 | Canada | Sendai | |
| 5 | 10/25 | Australia | Tokyo | |
| 6 | 11/8 | Ireland | Dublin | |
| 7 | 11/15 | Wales | Cardiff | |
| 8 | 11/22 | Georgia |
In last week’s match, the Japan national rugby team defeated Wales, finally securing a victory against a top-ranked team. As a result, the Japan national team’s world ranking rose from 14th to 12th. The test match against Wales was the second consecutive match following last week’s game. Can they maintain last week’s momentum and secure another victory against Wales this week?
The attendance for the day was 25,074.
Now, let’s introduce the two teams competing on this day.
First, the Visitor Team, Wales.
The Wales national rugby team, nicknamed the Red Dragons, is one of the 4 traditional nations of the British Home Unions and a world-class powerhouse. Their first Test Match was in 1881 against England. As of this day, they are ranked 12th in the world. Their highest ranking in the RWC was 3rd. From the match against Argentina on October 14, 2023, to the match against Japan on July 5, 2025, they suffered an unprecedented 18 consecutive Test Match losses, resulting in their worst-ever world ranking. Will they be able to put an end to this disgraceful losing streak in the test match against Japan on this day?
The starting lineup for this match was as follows.
| WALES | |||||
| No. | Name | height | weight | age | Wales Caps |
| 1 | Nicky SMITH | 180cm | 116kg | 31 | 55 |
| 2 | Dewi LAKE | 185cm | 114kg | 26 | 19 |
| 3 | Archie GRIFFIN | 189cm | 117kg | 22 | 6 |
| 4 | Freddie THOMAS | 195cm | 117kg | 23 | 1 |
| 5 | Teddy THOMAS | 198cm | 118kg | 24 | 6 |
| 6 | Alex MANN | 191cm | 98kg | 23 | 5 |
| 7 | Josh MACLEOD | 188cm | 103kg | 28 | 2 |
| 8 | Aaron WAINWRIGHT | 188cm | 106kg | 27 | 55 |
| 9 | Kieran HARDY | 185cm | 89kg | 29 | 25 |
| 10 | Dan EDWARDS | 178cm | 83kg | 22 | 2 |
| 11 | Joshua ADAMS | 185cm | 94kg | 30 | 61 |
| 12 | Ben THOMAS | 183cm | 91kg | 26 | 12 |
| 13 | Johnny WILLIAMS | 191cm | 100kg | 28 | 8 |
| 14 | Thomas RODGERS | 180cm | 91kg | 26 | 10 |
| 15 | Blair MURRAY | 173cm | 75kg | 23 | 8 |
As can be seen from the number of caps, the Welsh touring team for this match features many young players who are expected to lead the future of Wales. This situation is similar across all nations as they prepare for the next RWC.
** Player to watch **
Joshua Adams. 185 cm, 94 kg, 30 years old. Wales caps = 61. Position = WTB. He recorded the most tries in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Wales’ playing style emphasizes open play more than Japan’s. Therefore, the wings are filled with players who have outstanding decision-making abilities. Adams is a world-class player who has made a name for himself globally. He makes accurate judgments in games, always gets involved in scoring opportunities, and when he gets the ball, he does the decisive work to score. He is truly a professional point scorer. In this game as well, every move Adams makes will be worth watching.
Next, the latest information on the home team, the Japanese national team, nicknamed the Brave Blossoms.
Last season, the team suffered a complete defeat against the top-ranked teams, and if they were to achieve similar results this season, it would affect the future of Head Coach Eddy Jones, according to some media reports, causing tension within the team. However, the Brave Blossoms broke the bad streak with their victory in the first match against Wales. The upcoming match will be a historic test match against a powerhouse nation, with the team aiming for consecutive victories.
The starting lineup for the day was as follows.
| Brave Blossoms | |||||
| No. | Name | height | weight | age | Japan Caps |
| 1 | Yota KAMIMORI | 172cm | 105kg | 26 | 1 |
| 2 | Mamoru HARADA | 175cm | 101kg | 26 | 11 |
| 3 | Keijiro TAMEFUSA | 180cm | 108kg | 23 | 10 |
| 4 | Epineri ULUIVITI | 198cm | 118kg | 29 | 7 |
| 5 | Warner DEARNS | 201m | 123kg | 23 | 22 |
| 6 | Michael LEITCH | 189m | 105kg | 36 | 88 |
| 7 | Jack CORNELSEN | 195cm | 110kg | 30 | 21 |
| 8 | Faulua MAKISI | 187m | 112kg | 28 | 15 |
| 9 | Naoto SAITO | 165cm | 75kg | 27 | 24 |
| 10 | Seungsin LEE | 176cm | 88kg | 24 | 19 |
| 11 | Halatoa VAILEA | 187cm | 105kg | 26 | 1 |
| 12 | Shogo NAKANO | 186cm | 100kg | 28 | 8 |
| 13 | Dylan RILEY | 187cm | 102kg | 27 | 29 |
| 14 | Kippei ISHIDA | 167cm | 75kg | 25 | 1 |
| 15 | Ichigo NAKAKUSU | 174cm | 84kg | 25 | 1 |
Like Wales, the Brave Blossoms are also fielding many young players in preparation for the next RWC. Will any players step up and deliver a standout performance in this match?
** Player to Watch **
Halatoa VAILEA. 187 cm, 105 kg, 26 years old. Position: WTB, CTB, FB, SO, No. 8. Born in Tonga. Graduated from Nippon Sport Science University. Club affiliation: Kubota SPARKS. A talented player who has been in the spotlight since his college days, he was finally selected for the Japanese national team this season. In addition to his natural physical strength, he has a proven track record as a place kicker and is a versatile player who can play both forward and back positions. In his debut for the Japanese national team in the recent match against Wales, he scored his first try, demonstrating his competitiveness and decisiveness. It will be exciting to see how he continues to grow in the future.
Now, let’s begin the first half.
The match kicked off with the Brave Blossoms’ kickoff.
9 minutes into the first half:
Since last week’s match, the Brave Blossoms have begun to use short punts behind the opponent’s defense as one of their offensive tactics.
Both teams fought fiercely for possession of the ball. Here, Wales turned over the ball near the halfway line, moved to the left, broke through the enemy’s defense, passed to FB MURRAY, and finally passed to WTB ADAMS, who ran into the enemy’s in-goal area and scored a try in the left center of the in-goal area.
The conversion kick after the try was successful, bringing the score to 0-7, with Wales taking the lead.
19 minutes into the first half:
In the first half, Wales had more time on the attack, while the Brave Blossoms had few opportunities to attack. However, during this period, the Brave Blossoms skillfully connected passes from near the halfway line, with FL LEITCH approaching the try line and exciting the crowd.
24 minutes into the first half:
Wales moved the ball from their own half, and WTB ADAMS carried it into the in-goal area, but he dropped the ball in front of him and was unable to score.
However, after a video review, it was determined that there had been a dangerous tackle during Wales’ attack, and the Brave Blossoms were awarded a penalty goal opportunity in front of the goalposts near the 10-meter line in the opponent’s half. Brave Blossoms’ SO LEE converted the kick, bringing the score to 3-7.
28 minutes into the first half:
Wales had been dominating with their passing game up to this point, but during this period, they shifted to a forward-based attack and made gains.
First, Wales advanced nearly 10 meters in a maul after a lineout with their own ball, then dominated the scrum and approached the enemy’s try line.
Here, the Brave Blossoms committed a foul in the scrum, and Wales gained a lineout opportunity on the right side near the enemy’s try line. Wales then attempted to advance again with a maul attack and scored a try in the right center of the opponent’s in-goal area.
Wales had corrected the issues they had struggled with in set pieces the previous week.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 3-14.
Brave Blossoms’ No. 8 MAKISI was temporarily sent off for 10 minutes due to a series of fouls during this attack and defense.
36 minutes into the first half:
Brave Blossoms was attacked by Wales, who took advantage of the fact that they were one man down due to the sending off.
First, Brave Blossoms was pushed back into their own territory after committing a foul in a scrum.
From there, Wales launched an attack, and WTB ADAMS, who received a pass on the left wing, showed off his high running skills, dodging 2 Brave Blossoms defenders with a swipe and breaking through the line. He then passed to SH HARDY, who had followed up, and HARDY scored a try right under the goalposts.
The conversion kick was successful, bringing the score to 3-21.
40 minutes into the first half:
Here, the Brave Blossoms made an unusual move. Just before the end of the first half, they substituted all 3 players in the first row of the forward pack at once. Up to this point, Wales had dominated the game, so this substitution seemed to be a strong message from Head Coach Jones that he wanted to change the momentum of the game.
In the first scrum after the substitutions, the Brave Blossoms pushed through and drew a collapsing penalty from the opposition. The Brave Blossoms opted for a penalty kick, secured the ball from the lineout, and immediately launched an attack. The ball was passed from the No. 8 and CTB to the substitute prop TAKEUTI, who charged toward the opposition’s try line.
TAKEUTI was stopped by the Welsh defense just before the in-goal area, but he picked up the ball and charged again, scoring a try in the left center of the opponent’s in-goal area.
This spirited play by the Brave Blossoms in the final moments of the first half drew the loudest cheers of the day from the stadium.
The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 10-21.
The first half ended here. Will the Brave Blossoms be able to carry the momentum they gained at the end of the first half into the second half? The crowd at NOEBIA Stadium waited with bated breath as the teams headed into halftime.
Now, the second half begins.
The second half kicked off with Wales’ kickoff.
9 minutes into the second half:
The Brave Blossoms changed their attacking strategy in the second half. Once they entered the opposition’s territory, they attempted to break through using passes instead of kicks.
The Brave Blossoms penetrated deep into the opposition’s territory but failed to score.
Wales then won a scrum in the opposition’s territory, forcing the opposition to commit a “Not Release the Ball” foul. Wales opted for a penalty goal, which was successfully converted by SO Edwards, bringing the score to 10-24.
The first score of the second half was scored by Wales.
19 minutes into the second half:
The game became evenly matched at this point. Both teams broke through the line during attacks, but the ball was turned over in a dizzying series of plays.
However, when Wales launched an attack from the left side, Brave Blossoms’ lock DEARNS charged the opposing kick, and the ball rolled deep into the enemy territory. Brave Blossoms secured the ball and advanced toward the enemy try line, leading to a scrum.
From there, Brave Blossoms lock DEARNS charged forward with the ball and secured it in the middle of the right side of the opponent’s in-goal area.
After video review, the try was awarded to Brave Blossoms. The conversion kick after the try was missed, but the score became 15-24.
22 minutes into the second half:
After the try, Wales restarted with a kickoff and continued their attacks in the enemy’s territory. However, due to the heat and humidity in the stadium, Wales’ SO EDWARDS dropped the ball, which was picked up by Brave Blossoms’ CTB RILEY, who ran more than 50 meters and scored a try right under the enemy’s goalposts. The conversion kick after the try was successful, narrowing the score to 22-24, a mere 2-point difference.
35 minutes into the second half:
As the match entered its final stages, both teams began to show signs of fatigue. Players began to cramp up, making it difficult to run, and both teams resorted to kicking the ball back and forth.
Amidst this, Wales crossed the 22-meter line in the opponent’s territory and launched a series of attacks with all their might.
The Brave Blossoms defended fiercely, but Wales’ determination prevailed, forming a numerical advantage on the left side of the field, and finally, SO EDWARDS scored a try in the left center of the opponent’s in-goal area.
The conversion kick after the try was successful, bringing the score to 22-31.
The match ended with this score, and Wales managed to stop their losing streak in test matches at 18. In the sweltering heat exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, this Wales vs. Japan test match ended with a 1-1 record. This fall, a match in Wales’ home stadium is scheduled, where the outcome will be decided. Which team will emerge victorious in the third match? We look forward to an exciting contest.
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Stop the war.
Peace to Ukraine
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