Matt sherratt q&a: my toughest call and the player i'm so excited to work with

WALES' STAND-IN COACH HAS NAMED HIS 33-MAN SQUAD FOR JAPAN AS THEY LOOK TO END THEIR 17-TEST WAIT FOR A VICTORY 16:05, 20 May 2025 Wales interim coach Matt Sherratt named his squad to

tour Japan this summer on Tuesday, with six uncapped players making the 33-man group. Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher, Dragons tighthead Chris Coleman, Ospreys loosehead Garyn Phillips, Ospreys

scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams, Scarlets back Macs Page and Ospreys wing Keelan Giles are all named, with Dewi Lake leading the side. Here's everything Sherratt - who was confirmed

as interim coach just before the squad announcement - had to say about his selection... WITH THE LACK OF BRITISH & IRISH LIONS CALL-UPS, WAS CONTINUITY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING? "It

was about continuity. Being a Lions year, with two players away and a couple of other experienced players unavailable. It was important to get some experience in the squad. "Probably

big picture-wise, if I’m honest, the development angle should be left to the next guy coming in, in terms of some younger boys he wants to look at. It’s a short tour. It’s trying to get

players who have played a lot for their regions with their experience that was important to this one." Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and

insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below ON THE BACK OF 17 LOSSES, THIS TOUR CAN'T BE JUST ABOUT DEVELOPMENT? "I agree. Probably a big part of doing

it when I was asked a couple of weeks ago was laying a foundation for the next guy coming in. I don’t think it’s our job as coaches to look at the big picture. We’ll be in camp for six or

seven weeks. "It’s just about getting some familiarity there, and with the world rankings and Japan being one place behind, it’s about going there and trying to get a result. That’s

part of laying a foundation for the next guy as well. I would love for the next guy to look at the team and think there’s something to build on and not have that losing record around their

neck." WHAT WAS THE DECISION-MAKING BEHIND THE SIX UNCAPPED PLAYERS? "I think they fall into different brackets. The likes of Reuben and the two props, their club form has dictated

they deserve a go. The likes of Liam Belcher and Keelan Giles, they’ve been consistent regional players for the last six or seven years so they deserve it for those reasons. "I wanted

to pick players who had been playing regularly, starting for their reasons and had earned a cap. And then, in a couple of positions, just some younger boys who may have an exciting

future." WHAT ABOUT THE ABSENTEES? "Dafydd Jenkins has got an injury. He’s having elective surgery in the summer. Adam Beard has got a move coming and he’s got a young family. It’s

a mix of players injured or unavailable through family circumstances. "Max Llewellyn is injured. Jarrod Evans is in the same boat. Mason Grady hasn’t played since the autumn. It’s

letting them boys have a break and a good pre-season so they’re ready to go next year." WHAT WAS THE THINKING BEHIND YOUR NEW COACHING TEAM? "Firstly, going back to Abi’s

statement, there’s obviously a big change happening at the moment with the system. The WRU were pretty clear they wanted to take an interim staff. As soon as they said that, I think it was

important, with the limited time, that we’d worked together before. "I’ve worked with Danny at Cardiff, I work with Gethin now. Gethin and TR have worked together. Adam Jones has played

with them. It’s a familiar staff. Having staff harmony rubs off on the players. It’s important I had people I know and trust." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CURRENT COACHES (MIKE

FORSHAW, JONATHAN HUMPHREYS, NEIL JENKINS AND ROB HOWLEY)? "I think that’s for the next coach to make that decision, as well as the top of the WRU. That wasn’t something I was

comfortable with getting involved in." DID YOU CONSIDER NOT TAKING THE ROLE, GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY CURRENTLY FACING WELSH RUGBY? "I’ll be honest with you, I got on the plane to

come home from South Africa and one of the staff said about a press release. I’ve been in this job long enough, I just concentrate about the rugby. "I’ll let other people who are way

above my paygrade worry about the future of the regions and the national game. I love coaching. I loved the Six Nations and I really enjoy working with the people coming on this tour. That’s

my motivation." GIVEN WHAT IT GOING ON OFF THE FIELD, HOW MUCH OF THIS TOUR WILL BE ABOUT MANAGING PLAYERS THROUGH THAT SITUATION? "Unfortunately, I’ve seen it a couple of times

with other clubs. It’s probably bigger news outside of an environment than it is inside. As soon as you come into a camp, especially an international camp, you are a bit cocooned. "The

players are so busy focusing on playing and training that all the big picture stuff seems to go away. I’m sure in the background, after the tour, that may be an issue. But there was

certainly not any rumblings for the day or so in South Africa when it broke." WHAT'S THE REASON BEHIND GARETH ANSCOMBE'S ABSENCE? "It was more around Dan Edwards, he was

obviously involved in the Six Nations. It’s time to look forward with Dan. Sam Costelow was injured during the Six Nations. The squad is slightly smaller for this trip. So it’s getting Sam

up to speed. Ben Thomas can cover 10 as well." WHAT ABOUT ELLIS MEE? "Ellis is not injured. We’ve decided to go with Josh, Tom Rogers and Keelan Giles. That was probably one of the

hardest decisions. I spoke to Dwayne Peel this morning around some of the rationale around it. I think Ellis is going to be a well-capped international. I just feel we need experience,

particularly in the backline. "I know Keelan isn’t capped, but he’s came on a tour nine years ago with me to Samoa. He’s been in good form and is a regular starter in the URC. I feel

his time is right. That was one of the toughest calls. Ellis has a big future." AND MORGAN MORSE? "On the Morgan Morse one, I actually think he’s going to be a hell of a player.

He’s got power, he’s quick and he’s got a point of difference. In normal circumstances, he may be a player that comes on the plane. I just feel he’s really an out-and-out No. 8. And wih Toby

Faletau and Aaron Wainwright coming, is it time really, with the position Wales are in, to be gambling with that? I’m sure in six months time, Morgan Morse will have an experience. But, at

the moment, Faletau and Wainwright have 150 caps between them and we need that experience." HOW DO YOU COPE WITH LOSING LEADERS IN JAC MORGAN AND DAFYDD JENKINS? "We thought about

that when we selected. Dewi and Gareth have captained the Ospreys, Liam’s captained Cardiff, Ben Carter has captained the Dragons, Josh Macleod captains the Scarlets. Around the squad,

they’re not all experienced at international level, but they’ve got a voice and they’ve got an ear of the group. "It’s a pretty even spread from the regions. Between the squad, there’s

enough experience there. That was genuinely a big reason in terms of the selection, trying to get some experienced lads on the tour." GIVEN THIS WILL BE LESS CHAOTIC THAN THE SIX

NATIONS, DO YOU VIEW THIS AS A CHANCE TO BUILD UP PROPERLY AND HAVE A REAL CRACK IN JAPAN? "I just think it’s a really good opportunity to lay a foundation. It’s important to me that

our basics are better in Japan. The reality is that all the coaches are all still coaching or have just finished. We haven’t had a huge amount of time to look at Japan yet, as day-to-day

coaching takes up so much of your time. "I think getting the basics right, we’ll have a good two-and-a-half weeks in camp. There’ll be some new voices in camp, particularly Gethin and

Danny. Allowing them to get their stuff across will be important. When I look at the squad and staff, I’m genuinely excited to spend some time with them." WITH THE SEARCH FOR THE HEAD

COACH ONGOING, IS THE SQUAD AND GAMEPLAN FOR THIS SUMMER ALL DOWN TO YOU? "Yeah, it’ll be my decision and the coaching staff. We’ll meet up as a staff in the next couple of weeks. It’ll

just be preparing for two Tests. I think the big picture needs to be looked at by someone coming in on a long-term contract, not someone coming short-term. This will be about laying a

foundation and trying to win a Test match in Japan. The guy coming in next can build on that." IS THERE MORE EXPECTATION ON YOU NOW COMPARED TO THE SIX NATIONS, WHERE YOU WERE

PARACHUTED IN? "I’ll just do my best. I think having a bit more time and knowing the coaches will help. Speaking to the players, there’s a real desire to go to Japan and prove a point.

We’ll do our best to go there, lay a foundation and hopefully take that losing record away as well." DO YOU SENSE THERE'S A DESIRE AMONGST THE PLAYERS TO END THAT LOSING RECORD?

"I don’t know. Probably my thoughts are I wouldn’t focus on it with the players. It’s got to feel fresh. They’ve got to enjoy coming into camp and how we’re trying to play. If we do

those things, we’ll have a chance of winning a game. It’s not going to be a talking point." WHAT CAN MACS PAGE OFFER? "He’s got a point of difference, hasn’t he? I will credit the

regional coaches as well. There’s been a real collaboration with this. It’s been hard to select as I’ve been trying my hardest to get Cardiff into the play-offs. Danny and Adam are still

coaching Harlequins and TR is coaching Gloucester. "When you’re coaching, all your focus is on your team. I’ve spoken to Mark Jones, Dwayne Peel and Filo a couple of times. They’ve been

brilliant and given me some real good advice in terms of their players. I’ve seen Macs first-hand. But Dwayne Peel was really excited by him. He covers that 13/wing slot so I’m really

excited to work with him." ANY THERE LIKELY TO BE ANY MORE COACHES ADDED TO YOUR TEAM? "At the moment, there’s no one confirmed so not at present." DID YOU LOOK AT BRINGING IN

ANY REGIONAL COACHES TO YOUR TEAM? Article continues below "I did, to be honest. I thought it was important I spoke to the WRU about having some other regional coaches involved.

Unfortunately, they were not all able to do it for various reasons. "They’ve been involved, not directly, with selection. They’ve been more than helpful to me. I phoned them all this

morning to give them a heads up, so the boys that weren’t picked, they can manage and I can give them a hand with that. I will say they’ve been really good with helping out."