Wales to play Japan in Cardiff in November

by The TRU Team Monday 25 January 2016

Warren Gatland's Wales have added Japan to their list of autumn series opponents in November.

©PA

Wales will welcome Japan to Cardiff in November for the first time since the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Japan have been added to the Under Armour Series 2016 which will see Wales play autumn fixtures against Australia, Argentina and South Africa.

The game will take place at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, November 19.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland said: "The Under Armour Series will be about testing ourselves against the best sides in the world, and with Japan now completing the fixture line-up for 2016, we have four teams from World Rugby's top 10 coming to the Principality Stadium in November."

Japan produced probably the greatest upset in World Cup history last September when they beat South Africa 34-32 in Brighton, but failed to make the quarter-final stage despite also recording victories over Samoa and the United States.

Coach Eddie Jones has since moved on to take charge of England but the Brave Blossoms have climbed above Fiji and Tonga to move into the top 10 of the International Rugby Board rankings.

Japan have conceded more than 50 points in their four previous Test matches at Cardiff and lost 72-18 on their last visit at the 2007 World Cup.

But they did beat Wales for the first time in their history when the two nations last met, 23-8 at Tokyo in June 2013.