Matt Sherratt sets sights on building momentum and depth in crucial WRU Japan tour

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Wales’ interim head coach Matt Sherratt will lead the national side on a two-Test tour of Japan this July, aiming to bring an end to a 17-match winless run and inject fresh momentum into the team. The tour marks Wales’ first visit to Japan since 2013 and comes at a pivotal time for the squad, offering a crucial opportunity to rebuild confidence, develop new combinations, and give emerging talent a platform ahead of the next World Cup cycle.

Transcript

00:00Now, Matt Sherratt is to return as the interim head coach of the Wales National Men's Rugby

00:09team for their tour in Japan. There had been a lot of speculation as to who would become

00:13the next permanent head coach of the Wales team, but we are yet to find a successor to

00:17Warren Garland. And so Matt Sherratt once again standing in following his standing period

00:23during the Six Nations. So it's an interesting one because of course Wales on this horrid

00:29losing streak of games and they'll look at this Japan tour as an opportunity probably

00:34to get some wins on the board and just end the torrid streak of defeats. And yet it's also

00:39a bit of a banana skin as well because Japan these days is a rugby mad country and they'll

00:45have a lot of tough tests with the Welsh team depending on what teams they put out as well

00:50to play in the games that they have on tour. So from Matt Sherratt's point of view, he has

00:55to navigate this as best he possibly can. This is not to say he wants the job on a permanent

00:59basis, but just for the pride of the Welsh national team, they need to get through this

01:03as best as they can without suffering too many defeats and adding to their long list of recent

01:10losses in international rugby. So let's go now to our Wales sports correspondent, Charles

01:16Higg-Jones. Charles, firstly, what can Matt Sherratt do just to have damage limitation on this

01:23two and make sure that it is a success and that Wales aren't embarrassed once again as they were

01:28in the Six Nations. But also, what will he be thinking in terms of the head coach role? Does he

01:33still not want it perhaps even? And if he doesn't, who should Wales be looking for? Because of course

01:39it's been a little while now since the Six Nations and Warren Garton left. So Wales do need to get a bit

01:43of a hurry up in terms of starting the foundations for a new era.

01:49Yeah, Matt Sherratt's obviously a great background and coaching journey. You have to look at him

01:55at Cardiff. Obviously, previously stepped in as Wales interim coach during the Six Nations as well,

02:01following Warren Garton's departure. You know, you have to look at a few factors as to why he is

02:05the chosen one at the moment. So many players have come out and said, you know, they've enjoyed his

02:10he's working under him. They've enjoyed his spell in terms of the national team. And he himself said,

02:16you know, there's a lot to do in terms of the nation for Wales. But, you know, a bit of confidence,

02:21a bit of positivity, it really shifted emotion. Obviously, you know, he came in and the confidence

02:28was going in the right direction. They obviously suffered then a record loss to England in the Six

02:33Nations and in a home defeat by their biggest landscape ever, which is which is unbelievable,

02:40really, considering the way Sherratt had shifted them. But, you know, that's that's England on

02:43their rise. Wales are just lacking behind in terms of of where they need to be, where they want to be

02:49in their world rugby ranking quest as well. And, you know, it's a really tough situation for Wales at

02:55the moment. You know, obviously appointed for the Japan Tour, he will resume his role as interim

03:01head coach, which means, you know, one of two things. Firstly, for me, it shows that he's the

03:08guy at the moment, he's the go to guy, he's the safe pair of hands that they're relying on. But

03:12secondly, there's underlying problems there. Wales have, you know, really, really struggled to get

03:17someone to take this job on and 17 losses in a row, he needs to try and put an end to that.

03:22Is it going to come soon? You don't know. And Japan actually now proves a massive test,

03:26obviously, just one below them in the world rankings in 13th, Wales 12th, one of the lowest

03:32they've ever been as a rugby nation as well. So, yeah, massive challenge for Sherratt. I think he is

03:38the right man to do it. Obviously, he's got a great coaching team around him, Gethys Jenkins,

03:43Adam Jones, Tyrese Thomas and Danny Wilson, obviously the Harley Quinn's head coach as well.

03:49We know the situation with Welsh rugby at the moment with the PRA agreement. It's all over

03:53the shop, really, in terms of Welsh rugby. But this tour could actually prove us a bit

03:58of a, you know, a bit of a boundary, a bit of a clean slate and they are hoping for it.

04:04Obviously, Dewey Lake named captain, only two players on the British and Irish Lions tour

04:09for Wales. So, they're going to have to go for it. They're going to have to try and end

04:13this streak. And then, you know, it could influence his position at Cardiff, you know,

04:19potentially affecting future coaching appointments, obviously. But I do think Sherratt is the man

04:25to lead Wales and end this torrid run that they've been on and turn things around and hopefully

04:31have more of a positive end, you know, mid to end of the year and then they can kick on

04:36in the future after getting some appointments that are very much needed in terms of the WIU

04:43at the moment.

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