Life begins at 240 for the Welsh
JAPAN ........ 28 SCOTLAND ........ 21 WALES ......... 35 URUGUAY ........ 13
Townsend added: “The players acted professionally. We always believed the game was going to go ahead.
“We started well then we didn’t see the ball for the rest of the first half. We conceded two soft tries and we made too many mistakes.
“The boys put in a tremendous shift in the second half but we didn’t do enough in that last 20 minutes. It’s a huge blow not to reach the knock-out stage, we came here with high aspirations.”
Full-back Stuart Hogg insists the early exit will act as a wake-up call RESULTS: Pool A: Japan 28, Scotland 21; Pool C: USA 19, Tonga 31; Pool D: Wales 35, Uruguay 13. QUARTER-FINALS: Saturday – England v Australia (8.15am), New Zealand v Ireland (11.15am). Sunday – Wales v France (8.15am), Japan v South Africa (11.15am). and said: “We’re absolutely devastated to be heading home.
“This has given me the kick up the backside I probably needed to get better, to learn, to improve. And I can guarantee every player in that dressing room is the same.
“We can’t make error upon error and expect to win Test matches. But I truly believe this team will be better for having gone through this.
“This will eat away at me for a long time. It’s going to hurt. But it makes me want to get better.”
There had been a minute’s silence before kick-off and Japan went on to dedicate their victory to the 33 people who lost their lives to the killer typhoon.
Captain Michael Leitch said: “This was about more than just us. We were grateful for another opportunity to inspire Japan at this time when Japan needed it.”
Boss Jamie Joseph said: “Scotland were brilliant but our tenacity paid dividends for us. There was a lot of emotion. It’s those people we were playing for that really helped us in those closing minutes.” WALES’ World Cup stars have been told they are just 240 minutes from changing their lives forever.
And coach Warren Gatland believes his team can go all the way in Japan after setting up a quarter-final with France.
Gatland saw his second string produce a poor display in yesterday’s bonus-point win over Uruguay in Pool D.
Wales led just 7-6 after a first half littered with errors, the only try coming from Nicky Smith.
Josh Adams’ fifth score in Japan and a penalty try extended the advantage, only for German Kessler to drive over.
Replacements Tomos Williams and Gareth Davies both crossed to seal the bonus point as Wales topped their group.
Gatland said: “Alun Wyn probably said it best – there are 240 minutes left to do something special. That’s something to focus on.”
RODDY DUNCAN IN YOKOHAMA