Matt Sherratt will continue as Wales’ interim head coach for the upcoming two-Test tour of Japan in July 2025.
Sherratt previously stepped in during the latter part of the 2025 Six Nations following Warren Gatland’s departure, overseeing matches against Ireland, Scotland, and England.
Sherratt previously stepped in during the latter part of the 2025 Six Nations following Warren Gatland’s departure, overseeing matches against Ireland, Scotland, and England.
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00:00Now, Matt Sherratt is to return as the interim head coach of the Wales national men's rugby team for their tour in Japan.
00:11There had been a lot of speculation as to who would become the next permanent head coach of the Wales team,
00:16but we are yet to find a successor to Warren Garland.
00:18And so Matt Sherratt, once again, standing in following his standing period during the Six Nations.
00:24So it's an interesting one because, of course, Wales on this horrid losing streak of games
00:31and they'll look at this Japan tour as an opportunity probably to get some wins on the board and just end the torrid streak of defeats.
00:39And yet it's also a bit of a banana skin as well because Japan these days is a rugby mad country
00:45and they'll have a lot of tough tests with the Welsh team, depending on what teams they put out as well to play in the games that they have on tour.
00:52So from Matt Sherratt's point of view, he has to navigate this as best he possibly can.
00:58This is not to say he wants the job on a permanent basis, but just for the pride of the Welsh national team,
01:02they need to get through this as best as they can without suffering too many defeats
01:07and adding to their long list of recent losses in international rugby.
01:13So let's go now to our Wales sports correspondent, Charles Higg-Jones.
01:16Charles, firstly, what can Matt Sherratt do just to have damage limitation on this tour and make sure that it is a success
01:25and that Wales aren't embarrassed once again as they were in the Six Nations?
01:29But also, what will he be thinking in terms of the head coach role?
01:33Does he still not want it, want it perhaps even?
01:36And if he doesn't, who should Wales be looking for?
01:39Because, of course, it's been a little while now since the Six Nations and Warrangat and left.
01:42So Wales do need to get a bit of a hurry up in terms of starting the foundations for a new era.
01:49Yeah, obviously, the Welsh rugby union faces a pivotal opportunity during their two-test tour of Japan in July.
01:57Now, obviously, in usual circumstances, these two tests, these sort of tours would be crucial to sort of look at new talents,
02:06look at young players, bring them through, give them some real good experience travelling with the nation's side.
02:12However, due to the incredibly challenging period they're in with the 17 consecutive test defeats,
02:19a drop to 12th in the world rugby rankings, it's very, very different.
02:23Now, obviously, it coincides with the British-Irish Lions tour, with only two Welsh players have been selected for that.
02:29So that's obviously the lowest selection of Welsh players for that tour, post-war era.
02:38So, you know, almost 80 years or so, unbelievable in terms of that.
02:44You know, it just becomes a massive, massive tour, something that the Welsh rugby probably didn't really want it to be.
02:50But it's another chance to sort of go there and breathe a bit of life into the future of Welsh rugby now.
02:57You know, it's no secret they had long-term plans, long-term ambitions to get the nation back to the very, very top.
03:04You know, applying that is becoming what is the real challenge.
03:07Firstly, you know, you've got to look at the managerial situation, you know, departure of Warren Gatland,
03:14terrible Six Nations campaign, terrible form leading up to it, obviously the terrible record with the test losses as well.
03:21So he went, Matt Sherrick came in, and obviously a massive task for any manager interim charge to finish off the Six Nations campaign.
03:29And yes, while the main challenges were off the pitch in terms of instilling a bit of belief into the group,
03:35a bit of, you know, understanding and sort of getting them all together, getting them on the same page again,
03:40and a bit of togetherness, Matt Sherrick did that well.
03:43But there's no denying also that they suffered their biggest ever loss in the Six Nations to their rivals England.
03:49So that was obviously a real negative side of it as well.
03:54So Matt Sherrick is likely to be taking interim charge again.
03:59He, you know, turned down the sort of going permanent with the head coach role.
04:04I think that is understandable for Sherrick.
04:06He's doing a great job at Cardiff rugby, and the foundation he has there is very, very strong.
04:11You know, any sort of stride to get them anywhere near back to their very best
04:17or back to sort of a confident Welsh rugby nation would be a positive that they can take.
04:23But they cannot afford to leave Japan having, you know, really continued this downward trajectory.
04:31So, yeah, it is going to be tough.
04:33It's going to be a bit of a slog at times.
04:36But I think with the right sort of approach towards it, it could go positively.
04:41So, yeah.
04:42So, yeah.
04:42So, yeah.
04:42You