Three Dragons to face Japan as Wales try to end 17-Test losing streak

Yahoo

3 days ago

STARTER: Ben Carter will win his 13th cap for Wales against Japan (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
Three Dragons will try to help Wales end their 17-Test losing streak in Japan on Saturday – with two of them tasked with finishing the job in sweltering conditions.
Lock Ben Carter returns to the international fold as a starter for the first Test in Kitakyushu (kick-off 6am) with back row forward Aaron Wainwright and Rhodri Williams on the bench.
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Uncapped tighthead Chris Coleman and hooker Elliot Dee miss out on the matchday 23 this weekend.
Influential Wainwright and experienced Williams are joined among the replacements by flanker Tommy Reffell, with interim head coach Matt Sherratt pointing to the importance of the finishing line-up.
Sherratt said: "We've had a very good build-up. We tried to give everyone a fair chance of selection.
"One of the key messages was it's going to be a 23-man job. So, we've tried to spread the experience out in terms of getting some experience coming off the bench.
"I think an 80-minute performance, that physical edge and making sure that we transfer training into the game is going to be the biggest thing for us.
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"It's going to be humid. It's going to be hot. Japan traditionally play quite a fast brand of rugby, so us getting up to speed with that is going to be key."
Scarlets flanker Josh Macleod, who has been plagued by Achilles and shoulder injuries, makes a first international appearance since the 2022 Autumn Nations Series.
He joins Taulupe Faletau and Alex Mann as Sherratt makes 11 changes from the side humbled 68-14 by England in the Six Nations Championship in March.
Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray are the survivors from that record Cardiff defeat.
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"There's a number of players who've worked their way back into the squad," said Sherratt.
"(It's) Something we made a big point of in the first team meeting. Josh Macleod is an obvious one.
"He's struggled with some injuries, had a real rollercoaster over the last three or four years, so him coming back in is massive.
"I think you could tell from the players' reaction when Liam Belcher was selected (on the bench) how much he deserves it.
"He's been in the regional game for 10 years. He's changed clubs. He's gone back to university to do an electrician's degree and then he's managed to work his way into the national squad."
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The uncapped Belcher takes his place among the replacements with Sherratt having plumped for a relatively new-look pack.
Captain Dewi Lake returns at hooker and is joined in the front row by Smith and Keiron Assiratti.
With second-row forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Will Rowlands unavailable for various reasons, Carter and Teddy Williams step into the engine room.
The changes in the back division see recalls for wingers Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, as well as centre Johnny Williams, who last featured for Wales at the 2023 World Cup.
Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow form a new half-back partnership, with Tomos Williams – who along with skipper Jac Morgan was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – and Gareth Anscombe having started against England.
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Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (captain), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Joe Roberts.