Wales secured a win over Japan, but the performance left plenty of room for improvement. Greater accuracy and fewer costly errors could have made the result more comfortable, as attacking ambition was often undermined by poor execution and a lack of cohesion.
English-based players and cohesion concerns
Before the game, much was made of the number of English-based players in the Wales starting XV, with seven of the 15 earning their living across the border and several enjoying outstanding seasons with some of the Gallagher PREM's leading clubs. However, those players have fewer opportunities to train alongside their international team-mates, and the impact on cohesion cannot be ignored.
It may be an unpopular view, but Steve Tandy needs the majority of his leading players based in Wales if he is to build the consistency and understanding required at Test level. For a smaller rugby nation with a relatively shallow playing pool, alignment and cohesion are absolutely vital. Wales cannot afford to sacrifice those qualities, and having their best players spending more time together has to be a priority.
Replacements decisive but attack predictable
Ultimately, it was the impact of Wales' replacements that proved decisive, with the bench providing the energy and influence needed to get them over the line but only just. There were some encouraging moments, but Wales remain a side with plenty of work to do if they are to become a competitive force again, and on this evidence the All Blacks will put them to the sword in a week's time.
There was greater purpose to their attacking play, with tip-on passes around the point of contact helping to create momentum. Alex Mann was particularly influential in that regard, while Wales showed flashes of genuine quality with ball in hand. Aaron Wainwright was arguably their most dangerous attacking threat, with his superbly timed angle to slice through the Japanese defence a particular highlight.
But there remains a familiar problem. When Wales failed to find a breakthrough in the opening phases, their attack too often became predictable, moving from one side of the pitch to the other without asking enough questions of the defence. The underlying issue is a shortage of powerful ball carriers. Aside from Wainwright and Dewi Lake, Wales lacked the physical presence to consistently win the gain line and give their attack the front-foot platform it needed.
Eddie James potential and set-piece issues
Talking of powerful ball carriers, Wales have a potential superstar on their hands in Eddie James. The Scarlets centre possesses the sort of explosive carrying power that is desperately lacking elsewhere in the Welsh backline. He runs with genuine menace, looking to punch holes in defences and put opponents on the back foot, but there is much more to his game than brute force. His offloading and distribution are excellent, too, making him a genuine attacking threat.
The frustration is that Wales are not yet getting the best out of him. James has all the attributes to become a devastating international inside centre, yet there is a growing feeling that playing him at 13 is limiting his influence and keeping one of Wales' most dangerous weapons away from the areas where he could do the most damage. The man from Carmarthen has the potential to become one of the leading centres in the northern hemisphere, and the 2029 Lions tour of New Zealand is a target he should have firmly in his sights.
But Wales remain far too careless in possession, with inaccuracies creeping into their play at crucial moments. They continue to concede needless penalties and surrender possession too cheaply, making life unnecessarily difficult for themselves. Wales also struggled to cope with Japan's direct approach, particularly when the visitors unleashed their powerful ball carriers. The likes of Warner Dearns caused them considerable problems, exposing a lack of physicality in the Welsh defence.
Wales' lineout was another major cause for concern. Japan managed to disrupt and steal far too many of their throws, denying Wales a reliable platform from which to build pressure. Lake must also shoulder his share of the blame, with the captain failing to find his target at the front of the lineout when Wales had a golden opportunity just five metres from the Japanese try line in the closing stages of the first half. The breakdown remains one of the most important battlegrounds in modern rugby, but Wales struggled to exert enough pressure to disrupt Japan's ball.
There were, however, important individual contributions, with both Nicky Smith and Lake producing timely turnovers to snuff out dangerous Japanese attacks and prevent tries at crucial moments. It was an improvement on the corresponding fixture last season, but the real test of Wales' progress now awaits. Whether they have the quality, physicality and cohesion to compete with the All Blacks and Wallabies over the next fortnight is doubtful.
