Wales will look to break their record losing run against Japan next Saturday
Wales landed in Japan this week determined to end their 17-game losing streak. Matt Sherratt’s side take on Japan in the first Test in Kitakyushu next Saturday.
There is just one place separating Wales in 12th and Japan in 13th in the World Rugby rankings.
Wales are favourites to overcome Japan but it won’t be easy, especially with former Australia and England coach Eddie Jones in charge of the Brave Blossoms.
Here is the matchday 23 Sherratt is likely to select for the first Test.
15. Blair Murray
Despite a desperately poor season results-wise, Murray has been one of the only players who has risen above the mediocrity to impress.
The 23-year-old isn’t the biggest of men but he is a deadly broken-field runner with electric footwork and is an excellent finisher who makes good decisions under pressure.
Murray also enjoyed a fine debut campaign for the Scarlets and was named in the United Rugby Championship team of the season, albeit on the wing.
Should thrive in Japan where Wales are planning to play an expansive game. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
14. Tom Rogers
The 26-year-old has been one of Wales’ better players this season and was excellent for the Scarlets as they reached the URC play-offs.
Rogers is very good under the highball and like Murray is a dangerous broken-field runner with pace to burn.
The Scarlets man is also an excellent finisher and should thrive in Japan and Wales will undoubtedly want to get his hands on the ball as much as possible.
13. Joe Roberts
Roberts has had a difficult time with injuries over the past couple of seasons and it has taken a bit of time for the 25-year-old to get back to his best.
But he hit top form for the Scarlets during the latter stages of the campaign as they reached the URC play-offs before putting up a good fight in a defeat to Leinster in the quarter-finals.
Roberts is an explosive runner who tends to ghost his way past defenders and is very physical in the contact area.
There’s still a few rough edges with his decision making with ball in hand needing to improve but if he can stay fit he can be an asset to Wales moving forward.
12. Ben Thomas
There’s a strong argument for Johnny Williams to start at 12 given his excellent form for the Scarlets towards the tail end of the season and his partnership with Roberts.
But Sherratt is a big fan of Ben Thomas who perhaps suits the attacking brand of rugby the Cardiff coach wants to employ.
Thomas is a lovely footballer with a crisp passing game and tons of peripheral vision, while his kicking isn’t bad either.
The Cardiff playmaker will be central to Wales’ attack firing.
11. Josh Adams
The 30-year-old has been plagued by injuries over the past couple of seasons and has struggled to reach the heights which won him a place in the British & Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa in 2021.
But Adams remains one of best wings in Welsh rugby and his experience will be invaluable if Wales are to turn around a record run of 17-straight Test match defeats.
Adams may have lost a bit of pace but he is still a potent finisher who is strong defensively and under the high ball.
10. Sam Costelow
This is a close-run thing between Costelow and Ospreys playmaker Dan Edwards but the Scarlets man might just edge it.
It is even possible they will start a Test each in Japan.
Costelow was a key figure in the Scarlets’ late-season resurgence, with his ability to take the ball to the line, his running threat and his kicking game standing out.
With 20 international caps to his name Costelow really needs to kick on and make the number 10 shirt his own.
9. Kieran Hardy
The 29-year-old has been in outstanding form for the Ospreys and thoroughly deserves an international recall after getting left out of the Six Nations squad.
Hardy has always been strong at the fundamentals with his box kicking and slick service standing out but he is also a threat with ball in hand. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
The Ospreys number nine will be a key figure in Japan this summer with his partnership with either Costelow or Edwards crucial to the outcome.
8. Taulupe Faletau
The 34-year-old must surely be high up on the Lions’ standby list so will want to be at his very best for Wales in Japan this summer.
He might be at the tail-end of his career but Faletau remains a quality operator and Wales are a far poorer team without the Cardiff No 8.
As always Faletau will be required to get Wales over the gainline and lead from the front in Japan.
7. Tommy Reffell
With Jac Morgan away with the Lions, Reffell will surely wear the number seven shirt in the first Test.
The 26-year-old has been in excellent form for Leicester and played a crucial role in the east Midlands club reaching the Gallagher Premiership final where they were beaten by Bath at Twickenham.
Japan will want to play fast and furious, meaning Reffell will be one of Wales’ most important players given it is mainly down to him to slow down the speed of ruck ball.
6. Aaron Wainwright
The 27-year-old has been one of Wales’ better players during this wretched run of results and will be a key figure in Japan.
Wainwright has a nice blend of athleticism and physicality and the Dragons man will be tasked with getting Wales over the gain line.
Wales will also likely use Wainwright in the wide channels with his explosiveness and offloading games a potential asset to Sherratt’s side.
5. Teddy Williams
The 24-year-old has been in fine form for Cardiff this season and is the type of player who would thrive in the frantic pace and the searing heat of Japan.
Williams is an athletic second-row who is a top-class lineout operator, while he is also very effective in driving lineouts.
The Cardiff lock has had to bide his time in the international arena but with Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard missing, this could well be his chance.
4. James Ratti
The 27-year-old is the unsung hero of the Ospreys pack and is the type of player who gets through a mountain of unseen dirty work which allows others to shine.
Ratti is a powerful carrier who adds a lot of weight in the scrum and should complement the more athletic Williams well.
The Ospreys man won his only Wales cap against South Africa at Twickenham last summer and will view this tour as a chance to progress his international career.
3. Archie Griffin
The 23-year-old was a revelation on Wales’ tour of Australia last summer, putting in a remarkable 26 tackles in 74 minutes in a narrow defeat to the Wallabies.
Griffin is a very dynamic carrier capable of making post-contact metres, makes a lot of tackles and is a strong jackler at the breakdown.
His scrummaging can be a bit inconsistent but he is capable at the set-piece and gave world-class Wallabies loosehead Angus Bell an outing at the Principality Stadium last November.
2. Dewi Lake (captain)
The Ospreys man will undoubtedly be bitterly disappointed to have missed out on a place on the Lions tour having been touted as a potential tourist for much of the past year.
A series of injuries which curtailed his minutes on the field, particularly during the Six Nations, probably damaged his chances.
But he will be a vitally important figure for Wales in Japan with his leadership, powerful carrying game, set-piece prowess and his work at the breakdown standing out.
1. Nicky Smith
The 31-year-old has been a revelation in his first season at Leicester Tigers and gave world-class Springboks tighthead Thomas du Toit a hiding at times in the Gallagher Premiership final.
Smith is a very destructive scrummager and it has been a long time since anyone got the better of the former Ospreys star at the set-piece.
The man from Swansea isn’t the biggest prop but he carries well with his footwork at the point of contact – a nice trait – while he also gets through a lot of work in defence and at the breakdown.
Replacements
16. Elliot Dee
The experienced Dragons man is the most accurate hooker in Wales when it comes to throwing into the lineout.
Dee will have an important part to play in Japan but will probably be backing up Lake.
17. Gareth Thomas
The Ospreys prop is an underrated player who is a solid scrummager and hits really hard in defence.
18. Keiron Assiratti
The 27-year-old is a solid scrummager and a talented ball player.
It’s imperative Wales gain the upper hand at scrum time and Assiratti is likely to share game-time with Griffin.
19. Freddie Thomas
The conditions and the style of play will likely suit the Gloucester lock in Japan. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
Thomas is an athletic forward who is comfortable playing a high octane and expansive brand of rugby.
20. Taine Plumtree
The 25-year-old was left out of the Six Nations squad due to his ill-discipline but proceeded to fix that issue and was outstanding for the Scarlets during the latter half of the season.
Plumtree’s versatility will be useful for Wales.
21. Reuben Morgan-Williams
The 27-year-old has had to bide his time for a first cap but it is likely to come this summer which would be just rewards for his consistency for the Ospreys over the past few seasons.
22. Dan Edwards
As was stated above it is a close call between Costelow and Edwards for the starting berth.
Whatever direction Sherratt decides to go in Edwards will have a big role to play in Japan, whether that is through starting or seeing the game out as a replacement.
23. Macs Page
The 20-year-old is one of the finest prospects in Welsh rugby and has tons of x-factor.
Page is an explosive carrier with wicked footwork and a dangerous turn of pace. The uncapped Scarlets man, who can play centre or wing, looks destined for a long international career.
