Wales conceded two quickfire tries in the second half to slip to a battling 18-12 defeat to the Cook Islands in their World Cup opener on Wednesday.
Tries from Rhodri Lloyd and Ollie Olds either side of an Anthony Gelling effort gave the predominantly part-time Welsh a 12-8 interval lead on a chilly evening at Leigh Sports Village.
The tide began to turn after the break and back-to-back scores from Davvy Moale and Steve Marsters snatched victory for a Cook Islands side boasting plenty of top-level experience in the UK and Australia.