Latest news with #JRFURugby
South Wales Guardian
21 hours ago
- Climate
- South Wales Guardian
Greasy ball will test Wales in Japanese heat
The temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius when Wales kick off at 2pm local time in Kitakyushu on Saturday attempting to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats. It will feel a lot more when high humidity is factored in and the Wales squad, who used a heat chamber at home ahead of the two-Test series, have turned to ice baths, ice towels and cold flannel hats since arriving in Japan. 'I didn't go in the heat chamber – it was too hot,' said interim head coach Sherratt, who has made made 11 changes from the side hammered by England in the Six Nations three months ago. 'But we've done everything we can to prepare the players for this. Players weren't hugely excited about the heat chamber in Cardiff, but they worked really hard. 'It was as close as we would get in the UK to the temperatures in Japan, but it's obviously different here because we're training in it for 80 minutes rather than five or 10 minutes. 'We saw a lot of wet balls and we've trained in the middle of the day here to get used to the heat. 'If I'm honest it's not the heat, it's the ball (that's a problem). It's very difficult to keep the ball dry. 'It's probably going to be a game on TV where the conditions look perfect, but the ball's going to be really greasy and will test your skill set.' There are four survivors from the record 68-14 defeat to England in March, with number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray remaining. Faletau will win his 109th cap against Eddie Jones' Japan but the other two back-row members, Alex Mann and Josh Macleod, have only seven Test appearances between them. 🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴 Here is your Wales team to face @JRFURugby on Saturday in Kitakyushu, 6am KO BST! 🔥👇 More ▶️ Cymraeg ▶️ | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 3, 2025 Other than Faletau, only winger Josh Adams, prop Nicky Smith and scrum-half Kieran Hardy possess over 20 caps in the starting line-up. Hooker Dewi Lake captains the side, inexperienced pair Ben Carter and Teddy Williams form a second-row partnership and centre Johnny Williams returns after last featuring at the 2023 World Cup. There is some experience on the bench in prop Gareth Thomas and back-rowers Aaron Wainwright and Tommy Reffell. Sherratt said: 'We've had three weeks prep and it (selection) is a mixture of recent club form and trying to get some combinations that we've seen in training. 'It's a new coaching group and we've tried to let the players start on an even playing field and select on what we've seen. 'We feel conditions are probably going to be tough to start with, and to have some real quality experience off the bench will be massive. 'It's not really a 15 we've picked, it's a genuine 23. 'I've learned at Cardiff that you don't throw on all your experience at once because between 60 and 80 (minutes) is where some of the crucial decision-making comes in.' The second Test will be played in Kobe on Saturday week.
North Wales Chronicle
21 hours ago
- Climate
- North Wales Chronicle
Greasy ball will test Wales in Japanese heat
The temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius when Wales kick off at 2pm local time in Kitakyushu on Saturday attempting to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats. It will feel a lot more when high humidity is factored in and the Wales squad, who used a heat chamber at home ahead of the two-Test series, have turned to ice baths, ice towels and cold flannel hats since arriving in Japan. 'I didn't go in the heat chamber – it was too hot,' said interim head coach Sherratt, who has made made 11 changes from the side hammered by England in the Six Nations three months ago. 'But we've done everything we can to prepare the players for this. Players weren't hugely excited about the heat chamber in Cardiff, but they worked really hard. 'It was as close as we would get in the UK to the temperatures in Japan, but it's obviously different here because we're training in it for 80 minutes rather than five or 10 minutes. 'We saw a lot of wet balls and we've trained in the middle of the day here to get used to the heat. 'If I'm honest it's not the heat, it's the ball (that's a problem). It's very difficult to keep the ball dry. 'It's probably going to be a game on TV where the conditions look perfect, but the ball's going to be really greasy and will test your skill set.' There are four survivors from the record 68-14 defeat to England in March, with number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray remaining. Faletau will win his 109th cap against Eddie Jones' Japan but the other two back-row members, Alex Mann and Josh Macleod, have only seven Test appearances between them. 🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴 Here is your Wales team to face @JRFURugby on Saturday in Kitakyushu, 6am KO BST! 🔥👇 More ▶️ Cymraeg ▶️ | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 3, 2025 Other than Faletau, only winger Josh Adams, prop Nicky Smith and scrum-half Kieran Hardy possess over 20 caps in the starting line-up. Hooker Dewi Lake captains the side, inexperienced pair Ben Carter and Teddy Williams form a second-row partnership and centre Johnny Williams returns after last featuring at the 2023 World Cup. There is some experience on the bench in prop Gareth Thomas and back-rowers Aaron Wainwright and Tommy Reffell. Sherratt said: 'We've had three weeks prep and it (selection) is a mixture of recent club form and trying to get some combinations that we've seen in training. 'It's a new coaching group and we've tried to let the players start on an even playing field and select on what we've seen. 'We feel conditions are probably going to be tough to start with, and to have some real quality experience off the bench will be massive. 'It's not really a 15 we've picked, it's a genuine 23. 'I've learned at Cardiff that you don't throw on all your experience at once because between 60 and 80 (minutes) is where some of the crucial decision-making comes in.' The second Test will be played in Kobe on Saturday week.
Leader Live
a day ago
- Climate
- Leader Live
Greasy ball will test Wales in Japanese heat
The temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius when Wales kick off at 2pm local time in Kitakyushu on Saturday attempting to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats. It will feel a lot more when high humidity is factored in and the Wales squad, who used a heat chamber at home ahead of the two-Test series, have turned to ice baths, ice towels and cold flannel hats since arriving in Japan. 'I didn't go in the heat chamber – it was too hot,' said interim head coach Sherratt, who has made made 11 changes from the side hammered by England in the Six Nations three months ago. 'But we've done everything we can to prepare the players for this. Players weren't hugely excited about the heat chamber in Cardiff, but they worked really hard. 'It was as close as we would get in the UK to the temperatures in Japan, but it's obviously different here because we're training in it for 80 minutes rather than five or 10 minutes. 'We saw a lot of wet balls and we've trained in the middle of the day here to get used to the heat. 'If I'm honest it's not the heat, it's the ball (that's a problem). It's very difficult to keep the ball dry. 'It's probably going to be a game on TV where the conditions look perfect, but the ball's going to be really greasy and will test your skill set.' There are four survivors from the record 68-14 defeat to England in March, with number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray remaining. Faletau will win his 109th cap against Eddie Jones' Japan but the other two back-row members, Alex Mann and Josh Macleod, have only seven Test appearances between them. 🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴 Here is your Wales team to face @JRFURugby on Saturday in Kitakyushu, 6am KO BST! 🔥👇 More ▶️ Cymraeg ▶️ | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 3, 2025 Other than Faletau, only winger Josh Adams, prop Nicky Smith and scrum-half Kieran Hardy possess over 20 caps in the starting line-up. Hooker Dewi Lake captains the side, inexperienced pair Ben Carter and Teddy Williams form a second-row partnership and centre Johnny Williams returns after last featuring at the 2023 World Cup. There is some experience on the bench in prop Gareth Thomas and back-rowers Aaron Wainwright and Tommy Reffell. Sherratt said: 'We've had three weeks prep and it (selection) is a mixture of recent club form and trying to get some combinations that we've seen in training. 'It's a new coaching group and we've tried to let the players start on an even playing field and select on what we've seen. 'We feel conditions are probably going to be tough to start with, and to have some real quality experience off the bench will be massive. 'It's not really a 15 we've picked, it's a genuine 23. 'I've learned at Cardiff that you don't throw on all your experience at once because between 60 and 80 (minutes) is where some of the crucial decision-making comes in.' The second Test will be played in Kobe on Saturday week.
Rhyl Journal
a day ago
- Climate
- Rhyl Journal
Greasy ball will test Wales in Japanese heat
The temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius when Wales kick off at 2pm local time in Kitakyushu on Saturday attempting to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats. It will feel a lot more when high humidity is factored in and the Wales squad, who used a heat chamber at home ahead of the two-Test series, have turned to ice baths, ice towels and cold flannel hats since arriving in Japan. 'I didn't go in the heat chamber – it was too hot,' said interim head coach Sherratt, who has made made 11 changes from the side hammered by England in the Six Nations three months ago. 'But we've done everything we can to prepare the players for this. Players weren't hugely excited about the heat chamber in Cardiff, but they worked really hard. 'It was as close as we would get in the UK to the temperatures in Japan, but it's obviously different here because we're training in it for 80 minutes rather than five or 10 minutes. 'We saw a lot of wet balls and we've trained in the middle of the day here to get used to the heat. 'If I'm honest it's not the heat, it's the ball (that's a problem). It's very difficult to keep the ball dry. 'It's probably going to be a game on TV where the conditions look perfect, but the ball's going to be really greasy and will test your skill set.' There are four survivors from the record 68-14 defeat to England in March, with number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray remaining. Faletau will win his 109th cap against Eddie Jones' Japan but the other two back-row members, Alex Mann and Josh Macleod, have only seven Test appearances between them. 🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴 Here is your Wales team to face @JRFURugby on Saturday in Kitakyushu, 6am KO BST! 🔥👇 More ▶️ Cymraeg ▶️ | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 3, 2025 Other than Faletau, only winger Josh Adams, prop Nicky Smith and scrum-half Kieran Hardy possess over 20 caps in the starting line-up. Hooker Dewi Lake captains the side, inexperienced pair Ben Carter and Teddy Williams form a second-row partnership and centre Johnny Williams returns after last featuring at the 2023 World Cup. There is some experience on the bench in prop Gareth Thomas and back-rowers Aaron Wainwright and Tommy Reffell. Sherratt said: 'We've had three weeks prep and it (selection) is a mixture of recent club form and trying to get some combinations that we've seen in training. 'It's a new coaching group and we've tried to let the players start on an even playing field and select on what we've seen. 'We feel conditions are probably going to be tough to start with, and to have some real quality experience off the bench will be massive. 'It's not really a 15 we've picked, it's a genuine 23. 'I've learned at Cardiff that you don't throw on all your experience at once because between 60 and 80 (minutes) is where some of the crucial decision-making comes in.' The second Test will be played in Kobe on Saturday week.
Leader Live
a day ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Josh Macleod returning from injury ‘massive' for Wales
Macleod has been plagued by Achilles and shoulder injuries in recent years and makes his first appearance since the 2022 Autumn Nations Series. But the Scarlets skipper joins Taulupe Faletau and Alex Mann in the back row for Saturday's First Test in Kitakyushu, as Sherratt makes 11 changes from the side humbled 68-14 by England in the Six Nations Championship in March. 🚨 𝗧î𝗺 𝗖𝘆𝗺𝗿𝘂 🏴 Here is your Wales team to face @JRFURugby on Saturday in Kitakyushu, 6am KO BST! 🔥👇 More ▶️ Cymraeg ▶️ | #JPNvWAL — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 3, 2025 Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray are the survivors from that record Cardiff defeat. 'There's a number of players who've worked their way back into the squad,' said Sherratt, who remains in interim charge after replacing Warren Gatland during the Six Nations and is seeking to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats for Wales. '(It's) Something we made a big point of in the first team meeting. 'Josh Macleod is an obvious one. He's struggled with some injuries, had a real rollercoaster over the last three or four years, so him coming back in is massive. 'I think you could tell from the players' reaction when Liam Belcher was selected (on the bench) how much he deserves it. 'He's been in the regional game for 10 years. He's changed clubs. 'He's gone back to university to do an electrician's degree and then he's managed to work his way into the national squad. So yeah, delighted for Liam.' The uncapped Belcher takes his place among the replacements with Sherratt having plumped for a relatively new-look pack. Captain Dewi Lake returns at hooker and is joined in the front row by Smith and Keiron Assiratti. With second-row forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Will Rowlands unavailable for various reasons, Ben Carter and Teddy Williams step into the engine room. The changes in the back division see recalls for wingers Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, as well as centre Johnny Williams, who last featured for Wales at the 2023 World Cup. Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow form a new half-back partnership, with Tomos Williams – who along with skipper Jac Morgan was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – and Gareth Anscombe having started against England. Costelow and Carter missed the Six Nations campaign through injury. Sherratt said: 'We've had a very good build-up. We tried to give everyone a fair chance of selection. 🏴 Taking the jersey to the heart of Kitakyushu 🇯🇵❤️#WelshRugby — Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 1, 2025 'One of the key messages was it's going to be a 23-man job. 'So, we've tried to spread the experience out in terms of getting some experience coming off the bench. 'I think an 80-minute performance, that physical edge and making sure that we transfer training into the game is going to be the biggest thing for us. 'It's going to be humid. It's going to be hot. Japan traditionally play quite a fast brand of rugby, so us getting up to speed with that is going to be key.'
