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Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Steve Tandy Q&A: There is no magic wand for Wales and I've grown since leaving
Steve Tandy Q&A: There is no magic wand for Wales and I've grown since leaving Steve Tandy held court with the Welsh press for the first time today Steve Tandy speaking to the media at the Principality Stadium (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd) Steve Tandy is confident Wales has the talent to become a competitive rugby nation one again. The 45-year-old held court with journalists for the first time since being appointed head coach of Wales today and was bullish about turning his home country around. Prior to a recent victory in Japan Wales had lost a record 18 Test matches on the bounce while the Welsh Rugby Union are considering cutting the number of professional clubs from four to three or even two. But Tandy is confident he has the tools to improve Welsh rugby. "Yeah, I believe in the talent we have in Wales to get us to where we want to go," he said. "Ultimately you want to have ambition. We want to have ambition to meet those targets but ultimately there's a process to get to that as well. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "With a young group we have to nurture them, we have to connect to them and we have to be around them more than probably any time before because they are a young group." Article continues below Here is the full Q&A with Tandy which focuses on his plans for Wales, a potential reduction to two professional sides and putting together a new coaching team. How proud are you to be sat here as the new Wales head coach? "The privilege and the honour to be head coach of your national country is massive. "Being in the changing rooms is even better. I've got huge pride as a sense of family and what a great rugby nation it is." Why do you feel you are the right man for the job? "The biggest thing is they have seen me and through the process there was nothing but me in and around that. "I could generally be myself in the way I see it. "Me as a person I love coaching so much and the journey I've been on from my time at the Ospreys and going to the Waratahs. "That has given me an experience and the people I've come across has enabled me to be part of this opportunity to rebuild Welsh rugby with an exciting group of young players. "Like Dave said there's a path we are going to go on and a journey we are going to go on but through the experiences I've had over the other side of the world and through different environments will hold me in good stead to do that." How do you dig Wales out of the hole they are in? "I don't think it's a magic wand. "I think as Dave said it's about being connected and speaking to Abi and Dave around the vision of where we want to go to and how to get Wales back to where we want to be. "For me it's got to be collective and that goes back to what I believe in is collaborative and building systems but also engaging not only with the national team but the U20s programme, the regions and the communities. "So, that is what I feel. "It is a challenge but every nation has challenges as well but I think it's exciting with regards where we want to go to." The union have said they want to see Wales in the top five in the world by 2029. Have you been told that's the target? What's the target and have you got a squad of players that can get back to competing with the best in the world? "Yeah, I believe in the talent we have in Wales to get us to where we want to go. "Ultimately you want to have ambition. We want to have ambition to meet those targets but ultimately there's a process to get to that as well. "With a young group we have to nurture them, we have to connect to them and we have to be around them more than probably any time before because they are a young group. "But I think that is where the ambition we want to go to but ultimately we have to build performances incrementally. "From campaign to campaign we have to be better and looking at how we can build that performance through the exciting group we've got." What is your take on the future of Welsh rugby in terms of cutting regions? Do you agree with that? "I think for me coming in we've got to build something that suits us and not following anyone else. "Even Scotland they've got a programme but there's still challenges within any programme but I think we've got to build something that suits us. "I'm coming into it with my eyes wide open. "Ultimately we want Wales to be back where it belongs and where we want to be but actually there's a lot of work that goes in behind that. "Everyone in and around the union and the clubs will want Wales to be back being competitive. "How that looks I'm not quite sure yet but I know where the intention is to be." As a former Ospreys head coach you know how devastating it would be if they went or merged with the Scarlets? "I suppose that's the beauty of Wales around the pride and around the affinity to things but also we've got to be real around where we need to go to. "I think if we take everything aside because there'll be supporters not only from the regions but the clubs as well who will feel things in and around that. "But ultimately we need to focus on where we need to be. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "I know it's hard because emotion plays a massive part around our game and it is one of our strengths but it has to be a focus of where we want to go to and how we align ourselves better to create something everyone can buy into but also for us to be competitive not just in the national game but right across Wales as a nation." When you left the Ospreys in 2018 could you ever have envisaged sitting where you are now? "No. I'm not so much a person who thinks too far ahead anyway irrelevant of the situation. "The one thing that has really driven me from the start is I want to be the best person and the best coach I can possibly be. "I am a genuine believer in that you can reflect and there is some growth around every moment whether it be a perceived negative moment of leaving the Ospreys but ultimately you've got choices about how you want to get better. "Are you going to sit there and blame or are you going to actually reflect? "I had some amazing time at the Ospreys and the older I get and the more experiences I learn from I can reflect how I could have been better in and around things. "But for me I never envisaged sitting back here but ultimately my drive has always been to be better and to be the best coach I can be for the players. "I need to make sure I'm immersed in the environment and the things around it that can really make a difference to the players. "That's always been at the centre of who I am. Did I ever think I'd be a Lions coach? No. "Did I ever think I'd coach the Waratahs? No. "But I think it's surprising what happens when you have the mindset to be better and to understand as well you have got blindspots and you have got things to work on. "I think that goes from playing days and coaching days. "All the hard work that's gone into that and I've been very very fortunate to have amazing people around me. "In every environment I've been to I've taken so much learning and gone out of my real comfort zone to Australia where the people and players took you for who you were. "It's really surprising if you are a good human being with good intentions who will come to help you and offer advice and shape you. "Also learning as a young family and moving away. That teaches you a lot of things in life as well which in turn makes you a better coach. "I loved my time at the Waratahs and I had an amazing time at Scotland. "Then becoming a Lions coach and being able to sit in this seat. "All those experiences on and off the field will give me the opportunity to show what I can do as a coach and really immerse myself around this rebuilding phase with Wales." Will you keep the nucleus of the backroom staff that went to Japan? 'Dave and I have started discussions. The boys in Japan did a great job to get that result, that's a credit to them because it was a short turnaround after a long season. 'There's a blank canvas and we have started having conversations about making sure we get the right people in the right roles, not just for the autumn but the longer term for the growth of us as a nation.' How different are you to the person that left the Ospreys? 'The way that I have been brought up and the way I am as a father, I know who I am as a person. 'I am very loyal and very clear. That served me really well with my time at the Ospreys. 'At the Ospreys, I knew that I had blind spots but I had the opportunity to go to Australia and see different cultures and the Aussie mindset. 'In Wales we are very good at seeing the worst of each other and not actually looking at what we could be. 'In one of my first sessions in Australia they dropped a few balls and in Wales we would probably be negative but they were 'imagine if we caught them how good we'd be'. 'It's opening up your mindset by being around different players, and as a defence coach being around brilliant attackers with the Ospreys and Wales, then in Australia, then combining things with the Lions and then the Scottish mindset is different. 'I've worked with great coaches – Darryl Gibson was a massive influence on me becoming a better teacher. 'The Lions was a whole new experience and Gregor and the environment with Scotland about growth and being better and learning. 'I believe that I have grown and I am definitely more mature; maybe I wanted to fight too many things early doors with the Ospreys. 'That was part of my growth and development, all of that enabled me to reflect on where you have come from. 'It doesn't stop because you have become national coach, I want to be a better coach tomorrow and keep growing in this environment. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. 'Dave and Abi are great when talking about putting the support around me because there is no magic wand, I want to create a belief around this inexperienced young group about where we can go to in the future.' What have you made of Wales in the Six Nations and in Japan? 'In the Six Nations when we played here a couple of years ago, with the crowd and the stadium there was a momentum shift. 'There is nothing like it, and I have been to some amazing places and amazing environments. 'We were up convincingly but something changed. I realised what a force that can be and how inspiring it can be for the players. 'They showed resilience in Japan, because they were tough conditions. Losing the first Test, that showed me there is character and resilience in the group because it became sticky in more ways than one at the back end of the second game. 'We understand where we are at, it was brilliant to get that result but now it's about incrementally building. 'There's not going to be a magic wand or a quick fix and then it all changes, but I do believe in the pathway. 'I believe in the younger boys who we can get to adapt and accelerate their learning by coaching, being around them and being really immersed in their lives and how they go about playing the game.' How difficult was it to leave Scotland? 'Leaving Scotland was really tough. There are not many jobs that I would have left Scotland for. 'Gregor has had a major influence on me. We are different people, I have a defence mindset and he had an attack mindset, so that shaped how we were going to defend. 'It opened up my mind and he was massive on getting out of your comfort zone and going to different places. 'For example, I went to Melbourne Storm and spent a month there, then you go to AFL. 'He was very much a curious person and always trying to think outside the box, building environments for boys to be themselves. 'The players were incredible to work with and then how Scotland made my family feel, with the support we got. 'It was tough [to leave] but that tells you about the excitement of this job. I am a passionate Welshman, I want Wales to be putting in performances that everyone can get behind.' Are you ready to be the figurehead of Welsh rugby? 'It does change, you have to lead. I will do that in my own way but you also have to grow people and connect them. Article continues below 'That's the exciting bit because from my journey I have seen that in action in lots of places. 'It is going to change but it's knowing that I have got great support around me, and when we go into assistant coaches and the regions, the more we connect it then it will be about more than one person.'
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Nigel Owens gives verdict on 'dangerous' incident that saw ban dished out
Nigel Owens gives verdict on 'dangerous' incident that saw ban dished out 'I can't answer why it was missed but it certainly was missed and it shouldn't be missed' Owens has had his say on the Dan Sheehan incident (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd) Nigel Owens believes British & Irish Lions star Dan Sheehan should have been penalised for his clear-out on Australia fly-half Tom Lynagh during the final Test of the series. In a fiery encounter that involved a lot of heated exchanges between the two teams, the clear-out from Ireland international Sheehan forced Lynagh to be removed from the field with a concussion. It is an issue which has caused him to miss out on the Wallabies' opening Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks in the coming weeks. Sheehan was cited and banned following the game, but legendary Welsh referee Owens says that the officials have to be dealing with incidents like Sheehan's on the field. "Nobody should be in any doubt that this is foul play," said Owens in the latest episode of World Rugby's Whistle Watch. "And it's been dealt with due to the process that's in place where, if the match officials, including the TMO, miss something on the day. "They may not have had enough to trigger them to check something, maybe the footage they saw wasn't clear enough to say there is or there isn't. For whatever reason it was missed. "This type of action is definitely foul play and illegal. Dan Sheehan comes in with his arm down leading with the shoulder. No matter what happens here, the actions are dangerous and they are foul play." Article continues below Owens continued: "Unfortunately, I can't answer why it was missed but it certainly was missed and it shouldn't be missed. We should be getting these types of actions because we want them out of the game. "Some people might be asking: 'Why didn't you go back to check it later if it's a clear red card?' Imagine Dan Sheehan scores a couple of minutes later and then you go back to check this [earlier incident] and realise, 'hang on, Dan Sheehan should be having a red card here', what happens then? "If he should be off the field then he wouldn't have scored this try, so what do you do? Do you take the points away? You're just opening up a huge can of worms then. "My personal view, and not the referees' view, although there are referees who would tend to agree with me, and not World Rugby's view, is that the protocol is far too long as it is now. "This is why we're seeing a lot of TMO intervention and a little bit too much, but also remember we get a lot of things right as well, and that's important to remember. "If you extend the protocol even more, you're just going to have a huge can of worms opened and then you're going to stop for something that was five or six minutes back, and everyone's going, 'what's going on here?' "That's why the protocol needs to be within that timeframe." Sheehan has been banned for four games, which will be reduced to three if he completes World Rugby's coaching intervention. The encounter between the two sides in the third Test was fearsome, with multiple scuffles throughout the game. Article continues below Former international referee Owen Doyle even condemned England legend Owen Farrell for laying into Australian centre Joseph Suaali'i , questioning the values of rugby and describing the game as a "travesty" due to behaviour from both sets of players. The next Lions tour takes place in 2029, with the iconic touring side heading to New Zealand to take on the mighty All Blacks.
Wales Online
14-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
WRU confirm radical changes to Welsh rugby coming in major announcement
WRU confirm radical changes to Welsh rugby coming in major announcement Welsh rugby is set for seismic change not seen since the inception of regional rugby in 2003 Welsh rugby is set for seismic changes (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The Welsh Rugby Union has announced it intends to implement a radical restructuring of the professional game in Wales for the 2026/27 season, which could see the number of professional teams reduced. A consultation process between the WRU, the four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - and other key stakeholders will take place over August and September. The consultation will cover the entire high-performance framework from pathways to professional club structure and the senior men's and women's game. Key potential developments to be consulted on include: whether there should be a reduction to three or two regional men's teams, to ensure that we have teams that can compete at the top of the professional game further investment in the SRC to strengthen the semi-professional game in Wales. a significant investment in player development and pathways a national centre providing a place of development for our elite players, coaches and support staff Article continues below the best rugby leadership and decision-making model for the whole of the professional game in Wales our professional sides being home to both our men's and women's teams the funding model to underpin success, to ensure that the new model is financially sustainable and that teams are long term investable propositions in partnership with the WRU. The WRU say the current system in Wales which includes national teams, professional clubs, community clubs, academies, universities and schools isn't delivering consistent success on the field and isn't currently financially sustainable given the likely investment required, even with the recent actions taken to increase financial resources. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Based on its extensive work over the past 18 months, including ongoing consultation with the four professional men's clubs, the WRU is therefore considering a more radical strategy focused on maximising investment and reforming the whole structure of professional rugby in Wales. Prior to last Saturday's 31-22 victory over Japan in Kobe, Wales had lost a record 18 Test matches in a row, while the four professional clubs have been starved of success for a number of years. On top of this Wales has only one representative on the current British & Irish Lions tour of Japan, Jac Morgan, although scrum-half Tomos Williams was a member of the squad before picking up an injury. Initially the WRU said it wanted to retain four professional teams and were adamant it had the required funding to make all successful, but they have changed their stance. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free This situation stemmed from the Ospreys and Scarlets refusing to join the Dragons in signing the new Professional Rugby Agreement after the WRU's takeover of Cardiff following the capital city club entering administration. As a result the WRU activated the two-year notice clause on the old PRA, which both Ospreys and Scarlets, are operating under. But the WRU have decided there needs to be radical changes in the way the professional game is structured for Welsh rugby to achieve sustained success once more. The WRU is seeking to introduce changes in this way because of the current status of its senior men's professional game, acknowledging that: Welsh rugby has experienced a deterioration in performance on and off the field and, statistically, has just had its worst season ever in its senior men's game. all stakeholders want Welsh rugby to be successful at all levels of the game stakeholders understandably have different perspectives and must prioritise their own interests by default solutions have not yet emerged through consensus. WRU CEO Abi Tierney will seek the WRU boards approval of strategy for consultation and the commencement of the formal consultation period in August while in September there will be a consultation and engagement process. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Then in October the intention is for the WRU board to approve the new strategy while also announcing the new structure of the professional game to all stakeholders. Article continues below
Wales Online
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
The 88 seconds of bravery that ended Wales' 21-month wait for victory
The 88 seconds of bravery that ended Wales' 21-month wait for victory After what seems like an eternity, Wales bagged a win in Japan at the 19th time of asking Dan Edwards scores the crucial try for Wales to seal the game (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The margin between victory and defeat, as Wales have learned the brutal way over the last 21 months, is remarkably thin. Last week, in Kitakyushu, Matt Sherratt's side were unable to hold onto a 19-7 lead in the blazing sun. Now, under the roof in Kobe, leads of 21-3 and 24-10 had vanished. Leading by two points heading into the final 10 minutes, just as they had the previous week, it felt like everyone knew how this was about to play out. Only those decked out all in red at Noevir Stadium were about to flip the script. After 18 consecutive Test defeats, dragging the national team to new lows in terms of the world rankings, they did it. Frankly, it mattered little how they got over the line. Having waited so long for a win, no one cared how it came. But, in all honesty, it was always going to be the case that Wales had to go out and properly win it in the final minutes, rather than just hold on and fall over the line. They'd essentially tried that the week before. It didn't work, with the conditions and fear paralysing Wales. Article continues below It's a familiar story. Throughout this run, Wales have been capable of moments early on in matches. Think Blair Murray's try against Fiji last autumn or Tom Rogers' effort against Ireland in the recent Six Nations. The problems have often come about once the match reaches its conclusion. It looked to be a similar tale this time around. From the off, Wales looked to push an extra pass to stress Japan. Aaron Wainwright, in for Taulupe Faletau, shone early on - showing great work rate to get a second touch as Wales' forwards strung passes together to make ground. There was a clear intent from Wales to shift the ball a little wider than Japan expected. From deep, an extra tip-on pass sets them nicely for Dan Edwards to kick on his own terms. Edwards' high contestable is tapped back by Rogers in the air, with Johnny Williams claiming it. The centre gets isolated and turned over, but Alex Mann - who has been tipped to switch to openside at some point by his coaches - gets over the ball to win it back. From there, the first instinct is to spread it wide. Mann pops it off the deck to Archie Griffin, with Wainwright, Dewi Lake and Josh Macleod getting the ball to Ben Thomas. With Murray and Josh Adams outside him, Thomas targets Japan captain's Michael Leitch's outside shoulder - just about beating the back-row before offloading to Murray. From there, the full-back has a simple two-on-one to put Adams away for his first try for Wales since September 2023. Having moved further ahead from a Kieran Hardy score off the back of some strong lineouts, Wales' third score is just as well-worked as the first. With Japan down to 14 men following a yellow card, they worry little about the fact that Nicky Smith is down receiving treatment after winning a scrum penalty - instead taking a quick lineout to Griffin at the front and working the ball into the centre of the pitch. That's exactly where Wales want it, leaving their options open to go either way. In the end, it's an 11-play they run - one phase infield, then one phase back the other way - with Edwards and Murray sweeping behind as late options. The handling is crisp, with Adams cutting back against the grain beautifully to set up Hardy for his second. Given Wales have had to focus their attention away from the attack in the last five weeks - given there was limited sessions with an almost entirely new coaching group - these are lovely scores. For a while, that seemed to be as good as it got for Wales. A familiar story, flashes of good play leading to an implosion. Defeat had become inevitable, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Last week, Wales seemed to be clinging onto the fact that the lead they'd built was too big to lose. They now knew better. "The messaging this week was we did a lot well for 60 minutes (last week)," said Sherratt afterwards. "So the things we put emphasis on this week were our first three phases. "About 30 or 40 per cent of your possession is lineout attack. I think the lineout at the end, we talked about being a bit brave with the ball. "We probably tried to hang onto a lead last week. So all the messaging at half-time, Dewi spoke brilliantly about going on to kick on and win the game." And then, in the short space of 88 seconds or so, Wales did just that. It all started rather innocuously. Full-back Murray had gone up for an Edwards' up-and-under, but Japan had claimed the ball just outside their own 22. With Wales' lead having been reduced from 14 points to just two, the tension was building uncomfortably fast. Japan's defence coach, former Springbok assistant Gary Gold, notices Murray is still up in the frontline as Japan recycle. He relays the message down to the sideline, letting them know there's space in the middle. Edwards, alone in the backfield, calls Rogers back to cover, but there's still a fair bit of grass to look after as Japan finally pull the trigger on putting boot to ball. However, Taine Plumtree - on for Mann - gets just enough pressure on Seungsin Lee for the fly-half to slice his kick out on the full. By now, Wales are exhausted - with Luke Pearce calling upon them to form the lineout as they take a breather. Murray is barely on his feet by the time Luke Belcher, on for Lake, is towelling off the ball ahead of throwing in. The week before, Belcher had endured a few lineout wobbles on his Welsh debut. He can't afford something similar. He doesn't, nailing a perfect throw to the tail. "That last play summarises it for me," explains Sherratt. "It would have been easy to go to a safe lineout at the front. But we throw to the back, run a more risky play, if you like." Plumtree, the man who Belcher finds at the back of the lineout, agrees. "That clarity is a massive thing come those pressure times in the game," he says afterwards. "Belch came on and threw a perfect lineout that almost got stolen. A few phases later, we scored." Plumtree pops the ball to Reuben Morgan-Williams, the Ospreys scrum-half on for his Test debut. Before now, he'd been deputising on the wing - but Wales have switched him to his preferred position, with Hardy covering out wide. Ben Thomas carries into the heart of Japan's defence from the lineout, with wings Rogers and Hardy in close support to clear out. Once again, Wales have set up a ruck in the middle of the field - exactly where they want. As Japan work to fold around, Wales go back to the touchline they just came from. The first two carries are executed well. Belcher and Macleod offer themselves up as decoys, with Wales' ruck support on hand to offer quick ball. With no one on the blindside, Morgan-Williams looks to have gone down a blind alley. But he holds the pass nicely, waiting for Belcher to arrive on his shoulder. The Cardiff hooker targets a weak shoulder, making inroads as Japan are again forced to work hard folding around. One more phase to the blindside and Wales are ready to come back the other way. Wales' work effort is superb. Both teams are out on their feet, but Wales are winning the little races. James Ratti carries into contact, with Thomas clearing out. There's a sniff of a jackal opportunity, but Belcher works hard to get off the floor and secure the ruck. Just behind him, Plumtree drifts across - getting beyond the ruck before the Japan defence does. Now, it's time for Wales to really get brave. Japan's fold is slow, with Wales outnumbering them in the open space. Rogers and Edwards both stand beyond Plumtree, with Murray and Keelan Giles outside them in acres of space. Japan's right wing Kippei Ishida is left isolated with several options to cover. With Edwards the deeper option, he - fairly - assumes if the ball does go wide, Plumtree will go out the back - so he bites onto Edwards. Instead, Plumtree throws a little flat reverse pass to Rogers - taking Ishida out of the game. "Just one of the main messages that Jockey gave us was to be brave and express ourselves," says Plumtree. "I think we were under an advantage." There wasn't. "I heard Rog out the back so I pulled it back," he adds. "Thank God it came through." Rogers wastes no time giving the ball to Edwards, with the fly-half getting over for his first Test try at a crucial time. Article continues below "Fair play to Taine," says Edwards afterwards. "Jockey said to be brave and, fair play, Taine was brave doing that." "I didn't intend for him to be that brave," Sherratt admits, "but it worked! In the end, with all the scars, it was going to take something a bit special to end this losing run. Wales were brave when it mattered most and got exactly what they deserved.
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Welsh rugby's 'next big thing' to finally get first Wales cap after nine-year wait
Welsh rugby's 'next big thing' to finally get first Wales cap after nine-year wait Keelan Giles burst onto the Welsh rugby scene and seemed destined for remarkable things before injuries derailed his career Keelan Giles during training (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) The last time Wales played Japan, before this summer's tour, seems like a lifetime ago. Sam Davies calmly slotting over the winning drop-goal, Dan Lydiate crossing for his only Wales try, Leigh Halfpenny on the wing with Liam Williams in the 15 jersey. It's only nine years ago, but that 2016 clash with the Brave Blossoms in Cardiff just feels like it's consigned to a distant time - a time capsule of sorts. Certainly, a last-gasp victory for an out-of-sort, mix-and-match Wales side against Japan seems like a luxury now. Nine years have passed. With it, Welsh rugby rose for a while - reaching the highest summit in the rankings for a brief moment - then plummeted to uncharted territory at an alarming rate. Nine years. Just less than a decade from plans being hatched to conquer the world to Wales falling off the face of the planet. That summer, in 2016, Warren Gatland sat down with Rob Howley, the then-Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Phillips and then-head of rugby performance Geraint John to formulate a path towards World Cup success in 2019. Article continues below Somewhere else in that Wellington hotel, a young Keelan Giles - just 18 at the time and without a senior appearance for the Ospreys - was likely overcoming jet-lag after flying in to Hamilton from the U20s' World Championship in Manchester to provide injury cover for Wales. The future was his. Yet, for Giles, the last nine years must have felt like an eternal wait when it comes to that elusive Welsh cap. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack for the exclusive five-week tour diary from Japan and Australia. "If there's anybody, same as Liam Belcher last week, who deserves a cap, it's Keelan Giles," said Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt this week, after handing the now-27-year-old another shot at that first Test appearance with a bench spot against Japan in Kobe this weekend. Earlier in 2016, the young wing had been an electrifying part of the age-grade side that won the U20s Six Nations. After his time in New Zealand with the senior side - with no Test cap coming his way there - September of that year saw him make his debut for the Ospreys. Within minutes of coming on as a replacement against Benetton Treviso, he had crossed for his first score. By the time the autumn internationals rolled around that November, he had eight tries in five matches and was being billed as Welsh rugby's next big thing. Despite that, he missed out on the initial squad - only to be called in again as injury cover. That Japan clash in 2016, when Giles was named among the replacements, remained his best chance to date of getting onto the pitch in a Welsh jersey. Despite the excitement surrounding him, he remained, agonisingly, on the bench. The following summer saw him tour Tonga and Samoa, but still no cap came his way. Then, injuries took hold. His first serious knee injury in 2017 required reconstruction, keeping him out for a year. Then, in 2019, he suffered knee ligament damage in the other knee. That one robbed him of 450 days of rugby. Keelan Giles of the Ospreys (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency ) He's also had to have his hamstring 'tightened', which doesn't exactly sound helpful to a rugby player. Still, he's persevered. A strong run of form last season saw him picked by Gatland to tour Australia, only for injury to once again deny him before the plane had even left the tarmac. Now, in Kobe's Noevir Stadium on Saturday, Giles will once again - after nearly a decade of waiting - have the opportunity to earn that first cap. "I don't know how much you've had to do with Keelan but he's a great personality," explains Sherratt, who was with Wales as an assistant on the summer tour of 2017 with Giles. "A really, really good kid. "I still call him a kid because I knew him when I was younger. A really good trainer, very diligent. "This is not the case with all wingers, but he's quite a rugby nerd. If there's any games on, if you speak to Keelan the next day, he's watched it. "I'm probably doing Keelan a disservice. All the coaches have said this. We watched him week two and he was just having x-factor moments. "He's got a linebreak in him. He's just that type of winger. Similar to Blair Murray if I'm honest in terms of how he moves. "He can change direction quickly. If you can get Keelan on diagonals, running against forwards, he's really hard to handle. He's got good basics. "He's got x-factor. If we need a bit of x-factor off the bench, Reuben (Morgan-Williams) and Keelan both provide that. They've both got big moments in them. "He's just maximised everything he's had. He's had tough luck with a few injuries. Coming so close to winning a cap in Samoa, being on the bench and not getting on. "He's probably someone who thought his time had come and gone." Sherratt will also know Giles from his time at the Ospreys, having worked there as a backs coach. The decision to put Giles on the bench, given he only covers wing, might have raised some eyebrows as Wales look to end an 18-Test losing run, but Sherratt is content with the decision to once again put the Gorseinon product into the mix for that elusive first cap. "Sometimes, especially in these conditions when the grounds are hard, he's just shown some moments," said Sherratt. "Obviously Josh Adams can cover 13 and 15, Tom Rogers can play 15, Ben has played 10 and 15 before. "We just felt it was worth giving Keelan a run off the bench. He's an out-and-out winger but we've got enough cover in the backline to cover elsewhere." Article continues below After nine years of waiting, the chance has come around once again. "I have to be careful saying this as he's on the bench on the weekend," adds Sherratt, "but hopefully we can get him on the field and get him the cap he deserves."
