Interim head coach Matt Sherratt says he has “doubled down on the basics” to give Wales the best chance of ending their record losing streak.
Wales are in Japan for a two-Test series against Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms and attempting to end a run of 17 successive Test defeats – a record for a Tier One nation.
Cardiff boss Sherratt has overseen the last three of those losses after replacing Warren Gatland during the Six Nations Championship in February.
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Sherratt initiated improvement in losing narrowly to Ireland in his opening game, but Wales were well beaten in Scotland before producing a late fightback and then hammered 68-14 at home by England on one of Welsh rugby’s darkest days.
“I learned a lot during the Six Nations,” Sherratt said ahead of Saturday’s opener in Kitakyushu with Wales targeting a first Test win since beating Georgia at the last World Cup in October 2023.
“What we’ve really focused on for this tour is going back to basics.
“Over time the way I like to play is multiple passes and for my teams to be brave, but at the moment it’s laying the foundations for Welsh rugby.
“So we’ve really doubled down on the basics and gone back to the foundations of the game – kicking, defence, contact area.
“We can build on that in time, but those basics are the platform for everything else and the foundation for any team.”
Skipper Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams were unavailable after being selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
There are only four survivors from the side humbled by England in March – number eight Taulupe Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray.
Faletau makes his 109th appearance and winger Josh Adams (61), Smith (54) and scrum-half Kieran Hardy (23) are the only others with more than 20 caps in the starting line-up.
Asked what winning would mean for Wales, Sherratt said: “It’s massive. I spoke to the players before we came away and wondered what their motivation was, and why they were coming here.
“The short answer was that they want to win for Wales.
“For the future this tour is probably the end of something. Let’s hope it’s the also start of something and they start on a level playing field (under the new head coach).”
Jones has been his usual bullish self ahead of the series, which concludes in Kobe next week, saying he is hoping for a “nice hot day and we can really run Wales off their feet”.
The former Australia and England boss refused to budge from the 2pm local kick-off time when the temperature is expected to be above 30 degrees Celsius with high humidity.
Sherratt said: “Both countries are in a very similar situation as lots of experience has come to an end at the same time.
“The key to the win will be who controls the key moments.
“With the wet ball (due to the humidity) field position will be very important and, with that, who takes the chances.”
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