logo
Japan v Wales Live: Kick-off time, team news and score updates

Japan v Wales Live: Kick-off time, team news and score updates

Wales Online05-07-2025
Wales take on Japan in Kitakyushu today, as they bid to finally end the 17-Test losing run that has stretched over nearly two years.
You'd have to go back to October 7 2023, against Georgia in the World Cup pool stages, for Wales' last victory at Test level. That's 637 days ago.
Against an inexperienced Brave Blossoms side, this should be the day that Wales end that lengthy wait.
However, with the heat and humidity meaning cooling breaks and a 20-minute half-time will be enforced, conditions aren't going to be easy for Matt Sherratt's side.
Defeat to Japan would see Wales fall behind their opponents in the rankings for the first time, slipping to 14th.
Kick-off is at 6am UK time and you can follow the match in our live blog below.
Japan: Takuro Matsunaga; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Malo Tuitama; Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara; Yota Kamimori, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi, Epineri Uluiviti, Warner Deans, Michael Leitch (c), Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava.
Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Keijiro Tamefusa, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shuntaro Kitamura, Ichigo Nakakusu, Halatoa Vailea.
Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, ⁠Joe Roberts.
Referee: Damian Schneider
Live updates below:
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Marcus Rashford makes telling Man Utd comment after completing Barcelona transfer
Marcus Rashford makes telling Man Utd comment after completing Barcelona transfer

Daily Mirror

timea minute ago

  • Daily Mirror

Marcus Rashford makes telling Man Utd comment after completing Barcelona transfer

Barcelona have announced the signing of Marcus Rashford on a season-long loan and the departed Manchester United forward has been speaking after he was unveiled at the Nou Camp Marcus Rashford joined Barcelona on loan with a dig at Manchester United by saying: 'I feel at home here – it's where dreams come true.' Rashford secured the move after falling out with United boss Ruben Amorim, who exiled him last season and decided he was not part of his future plans. ‌ Barcelona will cover Rashford's wages in full next season – saving United around £12million – and have an option to buy him for £26m at the end of the loan deal. Speaking at the Nou Camp, Rashford said: 'I'm very excited. It's a club where people's dreams come true. They win big prizes and what the clubs stands for really means a lot to me. ‌ 'It feels like I'm at home and this is a big factor in my choice to come here, because it's a family club, people are comfortable here and it's a good place for players to showcase their skills. I want to say thank you for the warm welcome. It's a different environment for me but it feels like home. ‌ 'I'm full of excitement and hunger to go out and help this club win. They won so much last year and I can see the ambition is to do better than last year and that is what you want to hear as a player. 'It keeps you improving year on year and that's what you need to be - the best version of yourself. So I'm very excited to be here, eager to get the games going and I'm enjoying every minute of it. 'I always try to make decisive actions - fast, dynamic plays and I always like good football, so I have always been a fan of watching Barcelona play from a young age, like most football fans. It's going to be a joy for me to play here and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.' Rashford, who hopes the move will see him make England's World Cup squad for next year's tournament in the US, revealed the role Barca coach Hansi Flick played in making the move happen. 'Another key factor of the reason that I'm here is the conversations I had with him,' said Rashford. 'They were very positive. Last year and throughout his career he's proved he's one of the top coaches and to lead such a young team to a very successful season and coming back to still want to do more - it showed me everything that I thought I knew about the club. 'Now, to be here, it's everything I wished and thought. I'm eager to get going and learn the Barcelona way and be ready for the games.' ‌ Will Marcus Rashford be a success at Barcelona? Give us your prediction in the comments section. Rashford spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he scored four goals before injury ended his campaign early. The 27-year-old was dropped by Amorim for the derby against Manchester City last December and never played for United again. ‌ Despite offloading Rashford, United are braced to start the new season without a new striker leading their attack. A striker was the priority in this summer's transfer window, after United scored just 44 goals in the Premier League last season. But the only two arrivals so far have been £62.5m signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £71m, neither of whom are a No.9. United have seen their top striker targets go elsewhere this summer – Liam Delap joined Chelsea, Viktor Gyokeres is closing in on a move to Arsenal, while Hugo Ekitike is Liverpool-bound. Against that backdrop, Amorim fears there is every chance United will start their Premier League opener at home to Arsenal on August 17 without a new striker. A swap deal involving winger Alejandro Garnacho – left out of the US tour squad after asking to leave – and Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, both valued at £40m, is an option. Garnacho wants to stay in the Premier League, with Chelsea his first-choice club, although there is a reluctance at United to sell him to a domestic rival in a move that could ultimately backfire. Jackson has been pushed down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the arrival of Delap from Ipswich and Joao Pedro from Brighton, both of whom are ahead of him in terms of selection. Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Live Germany vs Spain live: Lineups and latest updates from Women's Euro 2025 semi-final
Live Germany vs Spain live: Lineups and latest updates from Women's Euro 2025 semi-final

Telegraph

timea minute ago

  • Telegraph

Live Germany vs Spain live: Lineups and latest updates from Women's Euro 2025 semi-final

By Abby Rampling Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport's coverage of the second Euro 2025 semi-final. It's a tense game tonight, as an unbeaten Spain goes up against eight-time European champions Germany. The winning team will challenge England, the current title holders, for the trophy in the final this Sunday. But for now, two international heavyweights are preparing to go head-to-head. Spain have gone undefeated this tournament, with only three goals conceded and 16 scored, but they have never beaten Germany. Germany have conceded twice as many goals and scored less than half of Spain's total, solidifying the reigning world champions as the favourites to win. Despite being yet to claim a European title, they won the World Cup in 2023 and the Nations League in 2024, and are now looking to win their third piece of silverware in as many years. But what does defeating a team like France a player down send, if not a warning message? During Germany's quarter-final match against France they made it clear that they are not to be underestimated after claiming victory, despite Kathrin Hendrich being sent off for hair-pulling in the early minutes. Germany boss Christian Wück said: 'I can already promise that we will give Spain a tough battle, just as they will fight us with everything they have. Then we'll see who comes out on top in the end. I think [the win against France] will give us another huge mental boost. The girls really wanted to prove what they're made of and that we can overcome such setbacks and come back.' If Switzerland's efforts in the first half of their quarter-final match against Spain proved anything, it was that discipline and an organised defence is enough to keep Spain quiet. Now all that remains is to see if the German side is ready to step up to the task. Safe to say, we have the makings of a very interesting match here in Zurich. Kick-off is at 8pm.

Ingram and Kellaway build Glamorgan advantage before Kent fight back
Ingram and Kellaway build Glamorgan advantage before Kent fight back

BBC News

time31 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Ingram and Kellaway build Glamorgan advantage before Kent fight back

Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (day two)Kent 155 & 106-1: Compton 38*, Jaydn Denly 38 Glamorgan 327 (100.5 overs): Kellaway 90, Ingram 87; Agar 4-58, Parkinson 4-103Kent (3 pts) trail Glamorgan (5 pts) by 66 runs with nine second-innings wickets standing Match scorecard Kent fought back hard with ball and ball on day two against Glamorgan but still trail by 66 runs, at 106-1 in their second innings. The experienced Colin Ingram (87) and in-form young all-rounder Ben Kellaway (90) provided more than half Glamorgan's runs in a stand of 172, exactly the first-innings gap between the two leg-spinner Mat Parkinson helped to check Glamorgan's progress with 4-103 with paceman Wes Agar also adding a fourth wicket as the hosts were dismissed for 35 overs to face, Kent lost Jaydn Denly for 38 to Kellaway but the dogged Ben Compton and Chris Benjamin saw them through to stumps as they look to battle their way towards safety. Glamorgan started the day 30 behind but Ingram and Kellaway batted sensibly for the morning session to take their stand to 172, by far the best first-innings effort on either side on a slow wicket. They were happy to accumulate singles and put the odd bad ball away, with little sign of a wicket apart from a run-out chance to dismiss South African, who will be taking a coaching role in the One Day Cup, looked set for a third successive hundred but fell on the stroke of lunch, as he edged the left-arm spin of Jaydn Denly to slip after hitting nine fours and a drove Parkinson to cover just after the interval, having taken his season's Championship tally to 749 in another mature knock from the 21 year old. That encouraged Daniel Bell-Drummond to delay taking the new ball and Parkinson repaid his faith as the old Kookaburra grew ever more difficult to get away, with Timm van der Gugten clubbing him to mid-wicket and James Harris lobbing a return Ned Leonard hoisted Parkinson for a couple of straight sixes either side of the second batting point, secured in the company of a cautious Chris Kent bowled an extra 17 overs before eventually taking the new ball at 316-8, and Agar bowled Leonard for 25 with the fifth ball of his spell. Cooke was last out for 36, skying Parkinson to mid-off after trying to farm the strike, leaving time for Kent to cut the deficit by 14 runs before Denly led a mostly untroubled reply from Kent, helped by seeing key seamer Timm van der Gugten withdraw for most of the third Denly, whose uncle Joe is likely to bat low down if needed with a calf injury, lost patience and hoicked Kellaway high to mid-wicket for 38. Compton reached a placid 38 not out off 109 balls and Benjamin was unbeaten on 22 overnight after play ended on time for once, with Kent needing to bat through day three at least and hope the pitch wears in the final innings.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store