Wales rookie wary of Jones factor
SPOTLIGHT: Loose forward Josh Macleod expects a Japan side coached by veteran boss Eddie Jones to pose plenty of problems when Wales bid to end their lengthy winless run next month.
Wales travel to Japan on the back of 17 straight Test defeats – a record for a major nation since they last enjoyed a victory, over Georgia at the 2023 World Cup in France.
Former Australia and England coach Jones, now in charge of Japan for the second time, hopes to extend that woeful sequence during a two-Test series in Kitakyushu and Kobe on July 5 and 12, respectively.
“I’m not too familiar with him [Jones] myself, but I have heard on the grapevine that he’s got certain attributes.
“I think we’ll find those out on the pitch,” said Macleod on Wednesday.
“No Test game is easy, but as a group we haven’t shied away from it [the losing streak].
“We’ve touched on the fact that we are looking to end that, we’ve got a job to do in the conditions.
“We’ve got to pull together and stay tight as a group, look to produce on the pitch and get that win.”
Macleod has returned to the Wales squad to provide loose forward competition for Taulupe Faletau, Aaron Wainwright and others following a career blighted by injuries.
The 28-year-old was denied a Six Nations debut against Scotland in 2021 after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in training.
Macleod had to wait until the 2022 clash against Georgia to win his first senior cap, only to then miss the 2023 Cup with a shoulder injury.
“I’ve had a decent bit of bad luck over the years,” said the twice-capped Macleod.
“This year, one of my focuses has been to stay fit and do all I can off the pitch to hit that target. So far, so good.”
