Wales announce new coaching team, squad for Japan tour

NEWS: Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt will take charge of Wales’ tour in Japan.

The WRU has also confirmed his backroom staff for the tour, with Danny Wilson, Gethin Jenkins, T. Rhys Thomas, and Adam Jones all involved.

Wales take on the Brave Blossoms in Kitakyushu on July 5 in the first Test, before facing them in Kobe the following week.

However, they are still without a permanent head coach after Warren Gatland left midway through this year’s Six Nations after a dismal run of 14 straight Test defeats.

Sherratt has named six new caps as he bids to end over 600 days of waiting for a Test win.

Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher, Dragons tighthead Chris Coleman, Ospreys loosehead Garyn Phillips, Ospreys scrumhalf Reuben Morgan-Williams, Scarlets back Macs Page and Ospreys wing Keelan Giles are the uncapped contingent.

Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake, having skippered Wales in the summer and autumn last year, leads the team in Lions call-up Jac Morgan’s absence.

With Morgan and Tomos Williams the only call-ups for the British and Irish Lions, there was never likely to be too many surprises.

However, even with the lack of Lions, there’s no place for the likes of James Botham, Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Mee, Nick Tompkins, and Max Llewellyn from the Six Nations squad.

Wales squad for Japan:
Forwards: Keiron Assiratti, Liam Belcher, Ben Carter, Chris Coleman, Elliot Dee, Taulupe Faletau, Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake (captain), Josh Macleod, Alex Mann, Garyn Phillips, Taine Plumtree, James Ratti, Tommy Reffell, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Freddie Thomas, Aaron Wainwright, Teddy Williams.

Backs: Josh Adams, Sam Costelow, Dan Edwards, Keelan Giles, Kieran Hardy, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Blair Murray, Macs Page, Joe Roberts, Tom Rogers, Ben Thomas, Johnny Williams, Rhodri Williams, Cameron Winnett.