Wales Squad Named for Japan Tests

Interim senior men’s head coach Matt Sherratt has named a 33-player Wales squad to travel to Japan this summer.

Hooker Dewi Lake will captain the 581-cap squad for the series.

Second-row Ben Carter, fly-half Sam Costelow and tight-head prop Archie Griffin all return having missed the Guinness Six Nations due to injury.

Six uncapped players are selected among the 19 forwards and 14 backs named today: Cardiff Rugby hooker Liam Belcher, Dragons RFC tighthead Chris Coleman, Ospreys trio: wing Keelan Giles, scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams and loose-head prop Garyn Phillips, as well as Scarlets back Macs Page.

Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams and Cameron Winnett are all called up again for Wales in a squad that has an average age of 26.

Dafydd Jenkins will have elective surgery and Henry Thomas needs to seek specialist opinion on a long-term condition, so neither will join the squad this summer.

A decision has been taken to give Adam Beard and Will Rowlands a break this summer, so they have not been selected in the squad.

Sherratt said: “I’m excited to get the players together in camp to begin preparations for our summer campaign. I think there’s a good blend of experience and young talent selected and that this group has a lot of potential.

“Going to Japan this July is a challenge the coaches and I are relishing. We are expecting a fierce contest from Japan in these Test matches.

“Over the next few weeks in camp, it’s about working hard, getting all our prep right on and off the pitch and gelling together as a group.”

Players will assemble in Wales camp on a staggered basis from Monday depending on when their club season ends, before the squad flies out to Japan at the end of June.

The two-Test series against the Brave Blossoms begins with Wales returning to Kitakyushu, the city that hosted the squad for a training camp ahead of the world cup in 2019, where the first Test takes place on 5 July at Mikuni World Stadium.

Following that Wales head to Kobe for the second Test on July 12 at Noevir Stadium.
As the official Supporter Travel Partner of the WRU, Gullivers Sports Travel has exclusive packages for Wales’ Summer Tour to Japan. Fans looking to secure their spot should visit the Gulliver’s travel website.

Wales fans can also watch Japan at home in Cardiff later this year as part of the Autumn Nations Series. Tickets are on sale at WRU Member Clubs from today (Tuesday 20 May) at a £5 priority discount across all games and categories when bought from a club before 17th June.

This landmark initiative by the Welsh Rugby Union rewards grassroots supporters, with all WRU Member Clubs now able to offer discounted tickets to their members and communities.

The offer applies to every match and every ticket category, in addition to a 50% concession for U18% and students which was introduced last year, which means tickets for this Autumn Nations Series start from £10 for U18s and £20 for Adults, or £60 for a family of four.

WALES SQUAD FOR JAPAN TEST SERIES

Forwards (19)

Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby – 14 caps)
Liam Belcher (Cardiff Rugby – uncapped)
Ben Carter (Dragons – 12 caps)
Chris Coleman (Dragons – uncapped
Elliot Dee (Dragons – 56 caps)
Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 108 caps)
Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – 6 caps)
Dewi Lake (Ospreys 20 caps) captain / capten
Josh Macleod (Scarlets – 2 caps)
Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 5 caps)
Garyn Phillips (Ospreys – uncapped)
Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 7 caps)
James Ratti (Ospreys – 1 cap)
Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 27 caps)
Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers – 54 caps)
Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 40 caps)
Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby – 3 caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 57 caps)
Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 6 caps)

Backs (14)

Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 61 caps)
Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 18 caps)
Dan Edwards (Ospreys – 2 caps)
Keelan Giles (Ospreys – uncapped)
Kieran Hardy (Ospreys – 23 caps)
Reuben Morgan-Williams (Ospreys – uncapped)
Blair Murray (Scarlets – 8 caps)
Macs Page (Scarlets – uncapped)
Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 5 caps)
Tom Rogers (Scarlets – 9 caps)
Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby – 12 caps)
Johnny Williams (Scarlets – 7 caps)
Rhodri Williams (Dragons – 9 caps)
Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby – 9 caps)