Wales got the win over Japan, but a 28-21 scrap that never really sparkled shows how much work still lies ahead for this side.
A win is a win, but Wales will know this one did not tick every box. They got past Japan 28-21, a result that keeps the scoreboard happy but does little to quiet the doubters.
The seven-point margin tells its own story. Against opposition that Wales would have expected to control for longer stretches, the performance lacked the polish and authority of a team ready to make a statement. There were positive moments, but they were mixed with spells of sloppiness and a lack of clinical edge.
That is the real concern for Wales. Results matter, yet how a team wins shows how it might fare when the opposition gets tougher. Japan stayed in the contest and made Wales work, and that will worry anyone hoping for a smooth path forward.
The upside is that the issues are fixable. Wales have the result in the bag and a clear to-do list: sharpen the execution, tighten the discipline, and turn flashes of quality into 80 minutes of control. Do that, and this uninspiring win could be remembered as a useful wake-up call. Fail to, and tougher opponents will punish them.
