Wales still have work to do, but Cracknell shines on full debut

LEICESTER Tigers number 8 Olly Cracknell was singled out for praise as Wales secured a nail-biting 24-23 win over Japan in Cardiff on Saturday evening.

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Victory ended a run of 10 successive home defeats and guaranteed Wales a top-12 seeding when the 2027 Rugby World Cup pool draw is made on December 3.

It was an error-strewn performance from the hosts, who were particularly poor in the first 40, with far too many handling errors and failing to nail the basics as frustration grew in the players.

James Hook said Wales have a “big work-on” for their match against New Zealand this weekend, while Gareth Delve praised the exemplary performance of Cracknell, who was making his first senior start for his country at the age of 31.