Sean Lynn calls for fewer Wales errors after narrow WXV defeat by USA

Wales head coach Sean Lynn has urged his players to reduce individual errors and improve their ability to close out matches after a 26-24 WXV defeat by the USA at Cardiff Arms Park. Speaking to BBC Sport, Lynn said he still saw signs of progress despite a result that ended Wales' hopes of following victories over the Barbarians and South Africa with another win.

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Wales recovered from a 14-point deficit during an encouraging first half but could not turn that response into victory. Lynn highlighted their reaction when trailing 21-7 as evidence of greater resilience, saying previous Wales teams might have struggled to respond. He felt the effort and determination were there, while stressing that the next step was to finish games successfully and return to the basics they were executing well.

The coach said Wales had set themselves the goal of remaining competitive throughout a full match when pre-season preparations began in early July. In his assessment, they achieved that against an American side ranked sixth in the world, five places above Wales. However, he also acknowledged that competitiveness alone had not been enough and that improvements were needed across the field.

Ball retention was a particular concern in Lynn's account. He pointed to missed chances both to leave Wales' own 22 and to enter the USA's 22 to apply pressure. Individual mistakes, he said, were incompatible with successful Test rugby. The performance contrasted with the previous week's win over South Africa, when Wales had scored eight tries.

Co-captain Kate Williams also expressed disappointment, telling BBC Sport that Wales had remained in contention at the 60-minute mark but failed to execute. She described a succession of errors and said the players needed to come together and make better use of their physicality. Williams felt the defeat reflected opportunities Wales had squandered, rather than a match in which they had been comprehensively beaten.

Wales now have a week away before returning to camp ahead of a trip to Japan. They are scheduled to face the Sakura Fifteen in Tests on 24 and 31 October. Those fixtures follow a USA result that left Lynn encouraged by his team's response to adversity but seeking more reliable possession and execution.