Wales 53 Japan 30

Wales beat Japan 53-30 in the second Test in Tokyo on Sunday, after trailing 20-19 at halftime.  It was the last of the visitors' five-game tour in Japan.

Winger Gareth Thomas scored a hat-trick of tries as Wales finished their five-game tour of Japan with a comprehensive win over the host nation.

Captain Andrew Moore described it as "an excellent win" to finish the tour.  "We had set a goal of winning two Test matches and playing with a style that we are going to build, and I feel we did that," he added.

Bath flanker Gavin Thomas scored a try in the 16th minute -- after his team trailed 3-0 -- before Gareth Thomas added two more in the 21st and 26th minutes, all converted by Stephen Jones, to build a 19-3 lead.

But the Japanese squad fought back, thanks to tries through Koichi Kubo and Teruyoshi Masuho.  Toru Kurihara converted them and added a penalty goal in injury time as the home side surprisingly led 20-19 at half time.

But Wales were a different team in the second half as Gavin Thomas again made it 24-20 in the 43th minute near the left corner, which started a six-try second-half onslaught to make sure of their victory.

"Japan led a little bit better than we did in the first half, they were able to turn us over in a contact area," said Wales coach Lynn Howells.  "In the second half I put players into areas where their defence struggled.  I think their defences are too tight, they congregate along the situation on the maul and ruck, so it becomes easier to draw their defence."

Wales ended the tour with three wins against two defeats.  They suffered the first-ever defeat to a Japanese team when they lost to Japanese national club champions Suntory 41-45 in the opener.

Their young squad also went down 16-36 to the Pacific Barbarians.

But Wales, who defeated a Japanese selection 33-22, celebrated their 500th Test match with a lopsided 64-10 victory a week ago to keep an unbeaten record against Japan.

The Teams:

Wales:  1 Iestyn Thomas, 2 Andrew Lewis, 3 Chris Anthony, 4 Andrew Moore, 5 Craig Quinnell, 6 Nathan Budgett, 7 Gavin Thomas, 8 Geraint Lewis, 9 Gareth Cooper, 10 Stephen Jones, 11 Tom Shanklin, 12 Adrian Durston, 13 Gareth Thomas, 14 Shane Williams, 15 Kevin Morgan
Reserves:  Dwayne Peel, Jamie Robinson, Jamie Ringer, Chris Stephens

Japan:  1 Shin Hasegawa, 2 Masaaki Sakata (c), 3 Masahiko Toyoyama, 4 L. Vatuvei, 5 Hiroyuki Tanuma, 6 Kazuya Koizumi, 7 Kouichi Kubo, 8 Yuya Saito, 9 Wataru Murata, 10 Ken Iwabuchi, 11 Toru Kurihara, 12 Yukio Motoki, 13 Hideki Nanba, 14 Terunori Masuho, 15 Hirotoki Onozowa
Reserves:  J. Akune, Takeomi Ito, Patiliai Tuidraki, Ryo Yamamura

Referee:  Deaker k.

Points Scorers:

Wales
Tries:  Robinson J.P. 1, Shanklin T. 2, Thomas G. 2, Williams S.M. 1, Thomas G. 3
Conv:  Jones S.M. 4

Japan
Tries:  Kubo K. 1, Masuho T. 1, Onozowa H. 1
Conv:  Kurihara T. 3
Pen K.:  Kurihara T. 3