Sherratt says 'grieving' Wales ready to end 18-game losing run / Photo: STR - JIJI PRESS/AFP
Sherratt says 'grieving' Wales ready to end 18-game losing run
Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt said Thursday that he had given his players "time to grieve" over their latest defeat as he named his team for their second Test against Japan.
The Welsh went down 24-19 in last weekend's first Test for their 18th straight loss, extending a record for a Tier One country in the professional era.
They will have another chance to break the streak on Saturday in Kobe, with fly-half Dan Edwards to make his first international start in place of Sam Costelow.
Sherratt said he had given his team two days off after the defeat in Kitakyushu, following advice given to him earlier this year by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, now coaching the British and Irish Lions in Australia.
"He said, 'sometimes when players have had an emotional run, they need time to grieve', and it just made complete sense to me," said Sherratt.
"Grieving over anything takes time, so we gave them two days off and really just left them alone.
"It was a tough changing room after the boys had put so much into the week, what I didn't want to do was get them back in on Monday and almost reopen the wounds," he added.
Sherratt made four changes to his starting line-up, with Freddie Thomas coming in at lock after Ben Carter was ruled out following a head injury in the first minute of last week's game.
Aaron Wainwright replaces Taulupe Faletau at No.8 in a side again captained by hooker Dewi Lake. Archie Griffin takes over at tighthead prop from Keiron Assiratti.
Uncapped trio Christian Coleman, Reuben Morgan-Williams and Keelan Giles were all named on the bench.
- 'X-factor' -
Edwards will win his third cap and Sherratt said he was a player with the "X-factor".
"I was really impressed with Dan in the Six Nations," Sherratt said of the Ospreys playmaker.
"I think he's a young 10 with a great head on his shoulders and a lot of ability."
Wales led 19-7 at half-time in last weekend's game but wilted in the second half in 31 Celsius heat.
The forecast for Saturday is three degrees hotter and the game will be played in a stadium with a retractable roof.
Sherratt said the mood in the Wales camp was better than outsiders might expect.
"Genuinely, if you'd come in and watched training, you wouldn't know if it was a team that had won 10 on the trot or lost 10 on the trot," he said.
"They're a good group. I think we've gone back into as good a place as we can."
Wales (15-1):
Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Kieran Hardy; Aaron Wainwright, Josh Macleod, Alex Mann; Teddy Williams, Freddie Thomas; Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake (capt), Nicky Smith.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Christian Coleman, James Ratti, Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Keelan Giles.
M.Ramos--ECdLR
