Wales will tour Japan in July 2025 for a two-Test rugby series.
This tour marks Wales’ first visit to Japan since 2013, when Japan secured their only win over Wales in 14 encounters.
The series offers Wales an opportunity to rebuild after recent challenges, including 17 consecutive Test defeats.
This tour marks Wales’ first visit to Japan since 2013, when Japan secured their only win over Wales in 14 encounters.
The series offers Wales an opportunity to rebuild after recent challenges, including 17 consecutive Test defeats.
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00:00With the Welsh national rugby team set to go on tour in Japan, what needs to be taken from the set of matches in the coming weeks?
00:09Because normally this type of tour would be used for Wales to perhaps give some of their younger talent an opportunity on a big stage.
00:16However, because of the way that the Welsh team has been playing in recent times, you know, on this really poor run of form and losing so many matches in a row,
00:24is it actually the case where some of their bigger players need to get involved and just get some wins on the board?
00:30It sounds strange for such a rugby-loving nation that they just need confidence in wins, but that is the reality of the Welsh national rugby team at present.
00:37And going to Japan, it won't be an easy test going there and playing some of the games that they'll play over in Asia,
00:43but needs must for Wales at the moment. They just need to get wins on the board.
00:47They just need confidence going into the rest of the year because obviously, you know, the Six Nations was dreadful for them.
00:55And obviously all the drama that went on throughout that tournament, not good and not good for the whole setup of Wales rugby at all.
01:02So this is a tour where normally, as I say, you'd like to blood in some of your younger talent, but probably not going to be the case this time.
01:09Let's go now to Charles Hague-Jones, our Wales correspondent in sport.
01:13Charles, what are your thoughts going into this tour? Because of course, as I say, it's not normally an opportunity for Wales to go in and need a win.
01:23Whereas this time they actually have to go and get that, no matter how it comes, and actually make sure that their bigger players are performing.
01:30Yeah, obviously the Welsh rugby union faces a pivotal opportunity during their two-test tour of Japan in July.
01:41Now, obviously, in usual circumstances, these two tests, these sort of tours would be crucial to sort of look at new talents,
01:49look at young players, bring them through, give them some real good experience travelling with the nation's side.
01:54However, due to the incredibly challenging period they're in with the 17 consecutive test defeats,
02:02a drop to 12th in the World Rugby rankings, it's very, very different.
02:06Now, obviously, it coincides with the British and Irish Lions tour, with only two Welsh players have been selected for that.
02:12So that's obviously the lowest selection of Welsh players for that tour post-war era.
02:21So, you know, almost 80 years or so, unbelievable in terms of that.
02:27You know, it just becomes a massive, massive tour, something that the Welsh rugby probably didn't really want it to be.
02:33But it's another chance to sort of go there and breathe a bit of life into the future of Welsh rugby now.
02:39You know, it's no secret they had long-term plans, long-term ambitions to get the nation back to the very, very top.
02:46You know, applying that is becoming what is the real challenge.
02:51Firstly, you know, you've got to look at the managerial situation, you know, departure of Warren Gatland.
02:56Terrible Six Nations campaign, terrible form leading up to it.
02:59Obviously, the terrible record with the test losses as well.
03:04So he went, Matt Sherrick came in.
03:05And obviously a massive task for any manager interim charge to finish off a Six Nations campaign.
03:12And yes, while the main challenges were off the pitch in terms of instilling a bit of belief into the group,
03:18a bit of, you know, understanding and sort of getting them all together, getting them on the same page again.
03:23And a bit of togetherness.
03:24Matt Sherrick did that well.
03:26But there's no denying also that they suffered their biggest ever loss in the Six Nations to their rivals England.
03:32So that was obviously a real negative side of it as well.
03:37So Matt Sherrick is likely to be taking interim charge again.
03:41He, you know, turned down the sort of going permanent with the head coach, Raul.
03:47I think that is understandable for Sherrick.
03:49He's doing a great job at Cardiff Rugby.
03:51And the foundation he has there is very, very strong, you know, in terms of top-tier fitness levels.
03:56And try and get that right from the offset of his tenure.
04:00But a lot to go into, a lot to analyse in terms of their tour of Japan, how they'll go about it.
04:06Obviously, Japan just won below them in the world rankings now, which is unbeknownst to Welsh fans and Wales as a rugby nation.
04:13So any sort of stride to get them anywhere near back to their very best or back to sort of a confident Welsh rugby nation would be a positive that they can take.
04:25But they cannot afford to leave Japan having, you know, really continued this downward trajectory.
04:32So, yeah, it is going to be tough.
04:35It's going to be a bit of a slog at times.
04:37But I think with the right sort of approach towards it, it could go positively.