"Make sure we stand for something" – Wales coach Matt Sherratt looks ahead to Ireland clash
Yesterday at 06:39 AM
Wales head coach Matt Sherratt has made eight personnel changes from the team that lost 22-15 away to Italy last timeout.
Sherratt will take the reins for the remainder of the Six Nations on Saturday afternoon as he begins his tenure as head coach against Ireland at Principality Stadium.
Wales are on the run of 14 consecutive Test defeats, which is probably the main reason why Wales are such wide outsiders according to the bookmakers as they take on last year's Six Nations Champions in their first home match of the 2025 Six Nations.
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Scroll down for the five talking points from this afternoon's pre-match press conference.
1: Reasoning behind making eight changes
"There's numerous reasons," said Sherratt.
"A couple of little injury doubts. And then probably just in general, my mindset coming in was just to make sure that I enjoy it and I try to do things my way, with the way I think the game should be played. So some of the selections are geared towards that. But if there's one word to describe Ireland, it's cohesive. They're a team that's been together for a very long time.
"They're very Leinster-heavy and have mostly come through two schools. The players have a lot of familiarity so I thought it was important to pick a team that had some familiarity, around 9-10-12-13 in particular. I don't feel playing Ireland is a time to experiment.
"So just having those combinations together, who have got relationships and can talk to each other on the field, pick up each other's habits, is important. Japan in the summer is the time to blood youngsters. But just personally, I don't feel Ireland is the time to experiment."
2: Mee set for debut on the wing
21-year-old Ellis Mee will debut on the wing as he replaces Josh Adams, who is out due to a potential hamstring injury. Mee, since joining from Nottingham Rugby in the summer, has made just 10 starts for the Scarlets so far this season.
"He's looked brilliant this week," said Sherratt, referring to the youngster who qualifies for Wales through his mother from Newport.
"Obviously, one of the reasons you coach is to name the teams and see a young kid who has dreamt of playing for his country and getting that opportunity. I'm sure his family are massively proud of him.
"To see his face after selection was part of the reason you coach. He's had a really good week so I hope he just goes out and enjoys playing for his country.
3: 'We needed some players who have relationships with each other'- said Sherratt
After less than a week after being announced as a call-up to the squad Gloucester Rugby's, Gareth Anscombe starts in the 10 shirt for the first time in the Six Nations since 2019. Anscombe, like Jarrod Evans and Max Llewellyn, have been previously left out by former head coach Gatland but all three are included in the Matchday 23 to face Ireland.
"Obviously, with Liam Williams and Owen Watkin going out of the squad, I felt we needed some players who have relationships with each other and play with each other every week.
"I've coached Gareth and Max so they know my style of play a bit. That was an advantage. Gareth is very good at driving the week. With Tomos and Gareth, I've got relationships with them and I knew they'd grab what I was trying to do and spread it through the team. It's just that familiarity."
4: Update on Josh Adams
On Adams' injury, Sherratt added: "Josh has just picked up a slight hamstring injury. We haven't got any clarity on any return to play. It happened yesterday.
"He wouldn't have been 100 per cent, so he dropped out of the squad."
5: 'They're very, very well-coached'- Sherratt on what he expects from Ireland.
Sherratt comes into the role on the back of 14 straight Test defeats and many have serious doubts whether Wales can get the win. Some bookmakers have Wales as 22-1 outsiders and if they fail to win it would mean they would surpass their previous losing streak during the period of the 1994-96 Five Nations, as it would mean their ninth straight defeat in the Six Nations.
"Listen, they're very, very well-coached. Their coaching staff have been in the game a long time. They'll understand there's not a lot of huge change we can make in three games. I think historically the Wales Ireland games have always been ferocious battles.
"They won't come with any change in mindset. As I said previously, Ireland are very, very good at imprinting their game on the opposition. They make slight tweaks but there's not a huge change from them in terms of what they do week-to-week with the provinces and the national team.
"Listen, they'll have probably looked at some of the Cardiff footage in terms of what we do with lineout launch and phase attack, but I'm pretty sure they'll concentrate more on what they do rather than what we do," added Sherratt.
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