Japan v Wales preview, teams and how to follow
Japan will host Wales in a two-match series that starts in Kitakyushu on Saturday and will finish in Kobe seven days later.Interim head coach Matt Sherratt is in caretaker charge again having taken over from Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February with the Welsh Rugby Union's hunt for a permanent successor ongoing.Wales are seeking to end a record run of 17 consecutive Test defeats that stretches back to October 2023.Japan are coached by Eddie Jones who is starting the second year of his second stint with the Brave Blossoms.They have won four games and lost eight since Jones came back, and were beaten by 40 points or more by New Zealand, France and England in 2024.Jones, though, was the coach when Japan secured their only victory in 14 attempts against Wales in 2013.
Where is the match being played?
The first match is being played at Mikuni World Stadium which opened in 2017 and is normally home to third division football side Giravanz Kitakyushu.Kitakysuhu was the city that took Gatland's side to its hearts in 2019 when Wales chose it as its World Cup training base. Six years ago, the Mikuni World Stadium venue was where more than 15,000 locals packed into so they could watch Wales train, with the adopted home fans producing a rousing rendition of the Welsh national anthem.This time Wales will play its first Test match at the venue that will host only its second international after Japan entertained Uruguay in 2022.
How can I follow the game on BBC Sport?
You cam watch the game live live on BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer or listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sounds with kick-off at 06:00 BST.You can follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app, with build-up starting from 05:30 BST.There will also be post-match reaction and analysis online and via BBC Radio Wales and the Scrum V podcast.
How hot and humid will it be?
Wales and Japan will be given water breaks and an extended half-time period to help the two sides deal with the heat and humidity in Kitakyushu on Saturday.The match is being played at 14:00 local time with temperatures expected to reach 33C, while there will also be a high level of humidity.There will be a three-minute break midway through each half, while half-time will be extended to 20 minutes from the original 15 minutes.The measures are being taken under World Rugby's updated heat and air quality guidelines, which set out the measures to be taken to support players performing in hot conditions.The half-time extension is the second most severe reading with the next step being to consider "delaying or suspending the game".
Japan and Wales team news
Sherratt has made 11 changes from the side humbled 68-14 by England in the Six Nations in March.Number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray are the survivors from that record Cardiff defeat.Flankers Josh Macleod and Alex Mann are handed recalls, while centre Johnny Williams also returns. Scarlets captain Macleod makes his first Wales appearance since November 2022, while Williams' previous involvement came in September 2023.Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow form a new half-back partnership, while Dragons lock Ben Carter returns after missing the Six Nations because of injury.Uncapped Cardiff captain Liam Belcher could make his international debut from the replacements bench if he comes on for hooker Dewi Lake, who skippers the side.Belcher is one of six Wales forwards on the bench including Tommy Reffell and Aron Wainwright.Jones has named an inexperienced Japan team featuring two uncapped players in the starting line-up and another six on the bench.Among Japan's new caps will be the diminutive wing Kippei Ishida, who Jones said "can be a Japanese version" of South Africa World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe, while prop Yota Kamimori also starts for the first time.Veteran flanker Michael Leitch will captain the team in his 88th cap, with Japan regulars Warner Dearns, Dylan Riley and Seungsin Lee also in the starting side.
Line-ups
Japan: Takuro Matsunaga; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Malo Tuitama; Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara; Yota Kamimori, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi, Epineri Uluiviti, Warner Deans, Michael Leitch (capt), Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava.Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Keijiro Tamefusa, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shuntaro Kitamura, Ichigo Nakakusu, Halatoa Vailea.Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau.Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Joe Roberts.Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (England) & Luke Pearce (England)Television match official (TMO): Ian Tempest (England).
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