Latest news with #Faletau
Glasgow Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Wales give Taulupe Faletau time to recover ahead of second Test against Japan
The 34-year-old number eight, a three-time British & Irish Lions player, was replaced early in the second half in last week's 24-19 opening Test defeat in Kitakyushu and did not train with the Wales squad on Tuesday. Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt confirmed after the match Faletau's withdrawal had been tactical and scrum coach Adam Jones said his inability to train would not affect their selection decision. Faletau, right, was withdrawn from Wales' opening Test defeat to Japan last Saturday (Andrew Matthews/PA) Jones said: 'With him, no. He has played more than 100 internationals and been a Test match player since 2011. 'If you don't look after those older players they will break so we are just looking after him, which is a key thing. 'If I was a 34-year-old player for Wales and someone offered me a session off, I would bite their hand off. ' Jones added: 'He is an older athlete and done what he has done in his career. He is entitled to have a little bit of break.' Ben Carter went down in the first minute after a heavy head collision (David Davies/PA) Lock Ben Carter has been released from the squad after he sustained a concussion on Saturday. Carter suffered a head injury after just 27 seconds in a heavy collision which forced referee Damian Schneider to immediately stop play. Carter underwent several minutes of treatment on the field and a stretcher was called before the the 24-year-old was substituted, to applause from the crowd. James Ratti came on as his replacement and Wales went on to suffer a narrow 24-19 defeat, their 18th successive Test loss.
Wales Online
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales sweating on Taulupe Faletau as star's absence in training explained
Wales sweating on Taulupe Faletau as star's absence in training explained The No. 8 was Wales' best player in the first Test defeat to Japan last Saturday Taulupe Faletau carries against Japan in Kitakyushu (Image: Getty Images ) Wales will give Taulupe Faletau as much time as possible to prove his fitness ahead of the second Test against Japan, after the talismanic No. 8 missed their outdoor training session in Kobe on Tuesday. The 34-year-old was Wales' best player in their 24-19 defeat in Kitakyushu last Saturday, having a hand in two of Wales' three tries. However, he was replaced after 56 minutes, visibly limping in the extreme heat and humidity. Wales insisted that the change was tactical, but the fact that Faletau didn't train today on-field with the team will raise doubts over whether he'll be involved for their final Test of the season. "He is good, he was tired after the game and did not train today," said scrum coach Adam Jones. "He is an older athlete and done what he has done in his career. He is entitled to have a little bit of break." Faletau has taken part in other facets of Wales' preparation as Wales look to give him as much time as possible to prove his fitness. Article continues below Jones dismissed the idea that Faletau missing training could affect his selection this weekend. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. "He has played more than 100 internationals and been a Test match player since 2011," he added. "If you don't look after those older players they will break so we are just looking after him which is a key thing. "If I was a 34-year-old player for Wales and someone offered me a session off I would bite their hand off." The Cardiff No. 8 was superb in Kitakyushu and would be crucial again if fit to play in Kobe, as Wales look to end an 18-Test losing run. "He is a brilliant player. I remember when he came through," said Jones. Article continues below "He has not really changed much with his movement, the rugby IQ. "He is not massively vocal but he has a brilliant follow-me characteristic where the boys see in him and get behind him. "He has been excellent for us and we just need the boys to back him up a little bit at times.'
Rhyl Journal
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Wales losing run extends to 18 defeats after late capitulation against Japan
First-half tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try and a Sam Costelow conversion, gave Wales a 19-7 interval lead and hopes of a first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup 21 months ago. But Japan dominated the second half and tries from Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, plus nine points from the boot of Seungsin Lee, piled on more misery for Wales. 🚨 𝙎𝙜ô𝙧 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙡 | 🇯🇵24-19🏴#WelshRugby | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 5, 2025 Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones said he had hoped for a hot day to 'run Wales off their feet' and the oppressive conditions – with the temperature above 30 degrees Celsius as well as high humidity – meant water breaks in each half and an extended interval. A slippery ball produced countless handling errors and there was often little rhythm to a disrupted contest that took over two hours to complete. Taulupe Faletau, Nicky Smith, Ben Thomas and Blair Murray survived from the 68-14 thrashing to England in the Six Nations as interim head coach Matt Sherratt made 11 changes. Number eight Faletau – the fifth-most capped Welshman – made his 109th appearance but it was largely an inexperienced line-up with six starters having fewer than 10 caps. Wales' fall from grace had left them in 12th place on World Rugby's rankings table, one spot above Japan, and it was very much a meeting between two teams in transition. There was a worrying start to the contest as Ben Carter took a hit to the side of the head inside 30 seconds. Carter slumped to the ground after attempting to make a tackle and there was a lengthy stoppage before the second row forward was taken away on a stretcher. Wales immediately shrugged off that blow as Faletau exploited space profited from a line-out ploy to send Thomas over with a well-timed pass and Costelow converted. Japan were on the backfoot and struggling to get out of their own half, but scored from their first attack after 16 minutes as winger Kippei Ishida sliced through midfield to set up Matsunaga and Lee's kick restored parity. Wales hit the front again with a penalty try after Nakakusu, who had replaced the injured Matsunaga moments earlier, deliberately slapped the ball away as Josh Adams closed on Kieran Hardy's chip by the try line. Nakakusu suffered further punishment with a yellow card, and Wales took advantage of their extra man after Japan had found touch from the kick-off. Faletau broke away from a scrum going backwards and Hardy, Costelow and Johnny Williams moved the ball on for Rogers to scamper into the corner. The tide turned in the second half as Amato Fakatava saw his effort ruled out for a Shinobu Fujiwara knock-on, but Japan were not to be denied after going through the phases. Rogers slipped off a tackle and Nakakusu dived over with Lee adding the extras and soon reducing the deficit to two points with a penalty. Japan got their noses in front for the first time as replacement Vailea barged over and Lee's sparked celebrations that continued until the final whistle. The two-match series will conclude in Kobe next Saturday.
Hindustan Times
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Wales losing streak up to 18 tests after losing to Japan in boiling Kitakyushu
KITAKYUSHU, Japan — Wales lost again. Wales losing streak up to 18 tests after losing to Japan in boiling Kitakyushu The longest losing streak by a major test rugby team in the professional era was extended to 18 matches when Wales lost to Japan 24-19 on Saturday. Wales held its 19-7 halftime lead until the start of the last quarter when Japan hatched tries by uncapped backs Ichigo Hakasusu and Halatoa Vailea — both converted from wide out by Seungsin Lee — and led a scrappy match for the first time from the 70th minute. Japan deliberately picked a 2 p.m. kickoff in the day's worst heat and humidity and Wales waned in the second half — it couldn't score a point — as Japan's undying intent to play at a high tempo clicked at just the right time. 'We just allowed Japan to play their game in the second half, and they're tough to stop when they're playing at speed,' Wales captain Dewi Lake told the BBC. 'Conditions are going to play a factor but we're not blaming that. We weren't clinical enough. The weather was a factor but we'll look at ourselves first.' Japan beat Wales for only the second time ever; the last was in 2013. Wales' nightmare run since the 2023 Rugby World Cup means it will fall behind Japan in the test rankings for the first time since the rankings were introduced two decades ago. They meet again next weekend in Kobe. Wales made 11 changes from the side which lost to England 68-14 in March in the Six Nations, but its greater experience against a Japan side playing its first test of the year with eight uncapped players — six on the bench — was expected to be tempered by the baking conditions. But within 30 seconds of kickoff Wales lock Ben Carter took a blow to the head and was taken off on a stretcher. He watched from the stands later. Carter's replacement, James Ratti, took the lineout catch which No. 8 Taulupe Faletau peeled from and set up Ben Thomas to score after four minutes. Japan leveled in style from its own lineout ball. Kippei Ishida came off his right wing and lined up fullback Takuro Matsunaga for a try. But Matsunaga left during the first drinks break. His debutant replacement, Nakasusu, was sin-binned after only a minute on the field when he illegally slapped the ball away from Josh Adams in the in-goal and conceded a penalty try. The absence in the backline was expertly exploited by Wales from a scrum on halfway. Faletau charged and a two-on-one finished with Tom Rogers dotting down. The second and third quarters were stop-start and error-ridden. Japan's Amato Vakatawa was held up over the line and Epineri Uluiviti's try was ruled out by a knock-on in the buildup, while for Wales Faletau's offload on the tryline was forward. It didn't appear as if either team would add to the score and Wales was 20 minutes from ending its nightmare run, but Japan, led by the seemingly immortal Michael Leitch, aged 36 but playing like he's 26, strung its longest phases together and Hakasusu slipped off Rogers to score. Lee converted, Japan trailed 19-14, and was galvanized. Replacement back Ben Gunter had a try disallowed by a forward pass but Lee kicked a penalty to close to 19-17 then Vailea scored the match-winning try after peeling off a lineout maul. And Japan was soon celebrating its first win over a tier one team since 2019. rugby: /hub/rugby This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
RTÉ News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Japan win to stretch Wales losing streak to 18 games
Wales wilted in the Kitakyushu heat to lose 24-19 to Japan and suffer an 18th successive Test defeat. First-half tries from Ben Thomas and Tom Rogers, as well as a penalty try and a Sam Costelow conversion, gave Wales a 19-7 interval lead and hopes of a first victory since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup 21 months ago. But Japan dominated the second half and tries from Takuro Matsunaga, Ichigo Nakakusu and Halatoa Vailea, plus nine points from the boot of Seungsin Lee, piled on more misery for Wales. Brave Blossoms boss Eddie Jones said he had hoped for a hot day to "run Wales off their feet" and the oppressive conditions - with the temperature above 30 degrees Celsius as well as high humidity - meant water breaks in each half and an extended interval. A slippery ball produced countless handling errors and there was often little rhythm to a disrupted contest that took over two hours to complete. Taulupe Faletau, Nicky Smith, Ben Thomas and Blair Murray survived from the 68-14 thrashing to England in the Six Nations as interim head coach Matt Sherratt made 11 changes. Number eight Faletau - the fifth-most capped Welshman - made his 109th appearance but it was largely an inexperienced line-up with six starters having fewer than 10 caps. Wales' fall from grace had left them in 12th place on World Rugby's rankings table, one spot above Japan, and it was very much a meeting between two teams in transition. There was a worrying start to the contest as Ben Carter took a hit to the side of the head inside 30 seconds. Carter slumped to the ground after attempting to make a tackle and there was a lengthy stoppage before the second row forward was taken away on a stretcher. Wales immediately shrugged off that blow as Faletau exploited space profited from a line-out ploy to send Thomas over with a well-timed pass and Costelow converted. Japan were on the backfoot and struggling to get out of their own half, but scored from their first attack after 16 minutes as winger Kippei Ishida sliced through midfield to set up Matsunaga and Lee's kick restored parity. Wales hit the front again with a penalty try after Nakakusu, who had replaced the injured Matsunaga moments earlier, deliberately slapped the ball away as Josh Adams closed on Kieran Hardy's chip by the try line. Nakakusu suffered further punishment with a yellow card, and Wales took advantage of their extra man after Japan had found touch from the kick-off. Faletau broke away from a scrum going backwards and Hardy, Costelow and Johnny Williams moved the ball on for Rogers to scamper into the corner. The tide turned in the second half as Amato Fakatava saw his effort ruled out for a Shinobu Fujiwara knock-on, but Japan were not to be denied after going through the phases. Rogers slipped off a tackle and Nakakusu dived over with Lee adding the extras and soon reducing the deficit to two points with a penalty. Japan got their noses in front for the first time as replacement Vailea barged over and Lee's sparked celebrations that continued until the final whistle. The two-match series will conclude in Kobe next Saturday. Meanwhile, Hong Kong beat South Korea 70-22 in Incheon to win the Asia Rugby Championship and qualify for the World Cup for the first time. The Hong Kong side has got to the last stage of qualifying for the last two World Cups only to fall short but will now take their place at the expanded 24-team showpiece tournament in Australia in 2027. The United Arab Emirates beat Sri Lanka 29-21 in Colombo on Friday to finish second in the championship and will play off against an African nation in July for a spot at the final World Cup qualification tournament. Hong Kong are only the second team from Asia to get to the World Cup after Japan, who have already qualified after finishing third in their pool at the 2023 tournament in France.
