Wales 24-23 Japan
Replacement wins game with final kick
A Wales crowd came away with the pride of a win at home for the first time in more than two years as the hosts beat Japan, but the overriding feeling was of relief. The Wales performance was miles off of what is expected. Sloppy attack, squandered opportunities and a 20-minute red card for Josh Adams almost gifted the win but that will not be remembered in years to come, what will be is Jarrod Evans.
It was his last-play-of-the-game penalty that won the game and the roar that followed has to be up there with one of the loudest this stadium has heard. It was the replacement’s first kick of the game and he had nerves of steel to seal the victory.
It was not just the losing record in Cardiff that caused heightened scrutiny, if Wales had lost the visitors would leapfrog them in the world rankings. That would have put Wales on the more difficult side of the Rugby World Cup draw, on 3 December, as they would have dropped to 13th. So this game was a must-win but they had to do it with their captain, Jac Morgan, who was ruled out with a dislocated shoulder.
