Wales edge Japan 28-21 in Nations Championship after late Adams try and ruck penalty

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Wales survived a nervy finish to squeeze past Japan 28-21 in Nations Championship rugby on Saturday.

Wales didn't produce the decisive score until the 69th minute through winger Josh Adams, who also came up with a last-minute ruck penalty on his 22 to prevent a draw by Japan.

“I thought we'd be better,” Wales coach Steve Tandy said. “We weren't ruthless enough. Getting a hit out for the first time since the summer, it does get clunky. It helps to review after a bonus point win.”

Adams scored two tries and fellow wing Louis Rees-Zammit grabbed his first try of the year; the pair of flyers made a difference as Wales lost five lineouts and kicked away too much hard-won possession.

Japan was largely contained when it went through the phases but feasted on Wales errors to stay in the contest to the final whistle. Japan, chasing its first win in Cardiff, rued missing chances in the 22, not just in the last minute but also right on halftime when it was on the Welsh tryline but was turned over by prop Nicky Smith.

“That could have been a historic win for us,” Japan coach Eddie Jones said. “But you've got to be good enough to take advantage of those mistakes. We weren't quite good enough. It was a missed opportunity.”

Debutant flyhalf Riku Kitahara fit in smoothly as did rookie replacement Shinya Komura in his first test of the year.

New Pacific Nations Cup champion Japan, at 1-3, goes to England next weekend.

Wales, at 2-2 after a July win over Fiji, hosts New Zealand next.

It says how far Wales has fallen that Japan has become a vital pick-me-up for the Welsh. A victory in July last year ended Wales' record 18-test losing streak then another last November with a last-second penalty was Wales' first home win in more than two years.

It took a huge run by Rees-Zammit from deep in his half in the fourth minute to set up prop Archie Griffin for the opening try and his first for Wales.

But Japan tied the score when lock Walter Dearns forced a turnover in the Wales 22 and Ben Gunter ran in.

Adams scored his first try of the match in support of Rees-Zammit but Japan leveled again when 2.02-meter Dearns burrowed under three Welsh defenders.

Center Eddie James' big carry and offload helped Rees-Zammit score his first try in a year and Smith's last-gasp turnover ensured Wales led 21-14 at halftime.

Both sides coughed up possession within a spit of the tryline until the 69th when Wales fullback Blair Murray counterattack from his own half and saw Adams spear away to the corner.

But Japan made the last five minutes tense again when an intercept led to Kenta Fukuda's converted try.

See AP’s full rugby coverage here

Japan's Naoto Saito in action during the Nations Championship rugby match between Wales and Japan in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday Nov. 7, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Wales's Eddie James is tackled by Japan's Dylan Riley during the Nations Championship rugby match between Wales and Japan in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday Nov. 7, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Wales's Louis Rees-Zammit on his way to scoring a try during the Nations Championship rugby match between Wales and Japan in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday Nov. 7, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)

Wales Josh Adams scores during the Nations Championship rugby match between Wales and Japan in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday Nov. 7, 2026. (David Davies/PA via AP)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 10 of his 19 points in the first quarter and the Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 114-102 in Mexico City.

Jokic also grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out eight assists, while Cameron Johnson added 18 points and Jamal Murray finished with 16 for the Nuggets, who have won four of their last five games.

“I just try to play the game the right way, hopefully we can win more games; to win is the most important thing, I do not think about stats,” Jokic said.

Pascal Siakam scored 23 points and Larry Nance Jr. added 15 off the bench for the Pacers, who were the home team in the NBA’s 35th game played south of the border. Indiana has lost five of its last six games.

The Pacers played without All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who missed the trip due to a hamstring strain.

Denver capitalized on a four-minute Indiana scoring drought in the second quarter with a 15-0 run. Murray's jumper extended the Nuggets’ lead to 64-37 — their largest of the game — with less than a minute remaining in the first half.

“It was tough environment, we are not used to this, the altitude and everything is hard to get going,” Siakam said. “Our force and energy was better in the second half, but it was not enough.”

The Pacers responded in the third quarter, pulling closer following back-to-back 3-pointers from Aaron Nesmith that cut the score to 79-67. A layup by Quenton Jackson with 1:16 left in the quarter further trimmed Denver’s lead to 10.

Jarace Walker hit a 3-pointer that brought Indiana within 102-95 with 7:26 left to play, but the Nuggets answered with six straight points to restore a double-digit lead and secure the win.

The game marked the 35th NBA appearance in the country since the league first brought exhibition games to Mexico in 1992.

No country outside the United States and Canada has hosted more.

Of those 34 previous matchups, 15 were regular-season games, and the last 12 — including Saturday’s tilt between Indiana and Denver — sold out.

“The energy was awesome, I got to admit that there is an atmosphere to this building, when we got out on the court you could feel the juice, and the energy,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman. “The NBA is global and it belongs here too.”

Nuggets: At Houston on Monday night.

Pacers: At Dallas on Monday night.

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Denver Nuggets forward Marvin Bagley III, right, shoots as Indiana Pacers forward Larry Nance Jr. defends during a NBA basketball game in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Singer Mario Girón performs the Mexican national anthem prior to a NBA basketball game between the Indiana Pacers and the Denver Nuggets in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, top, goes up for a basket during a NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Denver Nuggets guard DeMar DeRozan, top, shoots as Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac defends during a NBA basketball game in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, Shoots as Indiana Pacers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. defends during a NBA basketball game in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)