[7] Henson ultimately started the game on the bench, as coach Graham Henry preferred Neil Jenkins, one of eight Wales players in the team who were due to join the British & Irish Lions on their tour to Australia later in the summer.

Substitute winger Friedrich Lombard responded for the Barbarians, but Braam van Straaten missed the conversion to leave them two points behind.

The Barbarians' replacement hooker Naka Drotské cut the deficit to two points again with a converted try, but Craig Quinnell restored Wales' nine-point margin soon after.

[13] Despite wing Craig Morgan suffering a knee injury in the 17th minute that ultimately ruled him out of the rest of the tour,[4] Wales held a 21–10 lead at half-time; however, four second-half tries from Suntory, including a last-minute winner, saw them come from behind to claim a 45–41 victory.

[4] Lynn Howells changed all 15 players in his starting line-up for the match against the Japan Select XV at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, and hailed the experience brought by the additions of centre Allan Bateman and lock Andy Moore for a match against a side including several foreign players;[16] however, Bateman suffered an early ankle injury and although he was able to continue until half-time, he was taken off during the break and ultimately ruled out of the rest of the tour.

Wales equalised through Adrian Durston's try, converted by Lee Jarvis, but a penalty from Tanaka put the Japan Select XV back in front.

Coach Lyn Howells selected a young team with an average age of 24, giving debuts to centre Adrian Durston and back rowers Andy Lloyd and Gavin Thomas; full-back Kevin Morgan made his first international appearance for more than three years, and Stephen Jones made his first appearance of the tour at fly-half.

Japan scored two tries in the second half, but they proved mere consolation as Williams added to his first-half double with two more, equalling the national record for the most tries by an individual in a single game.

The inexperienced side conceded two tries in the first seven minutes, but a try from Mark Jones helped them recover to trail 17–16 at half-time; however, Wales were kept scoreless in the second half.