How Wales Aim To Cope Without 'irreplaceable' Morgan

Autumn Nations Series: Wales v Japan

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 17:40 GMT

Coverage: Commentary connected BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and unrecorded matter connected BBC Sport online.

Wales will adopt a different attack successful their 2nd autumn Test against Japan aft nan nonaccomplishment of 'irreplaceable' Jac Morgan.

When Steve Tandy named his first squad past period it looked for illustration he would commencement pinch a back-row trio of Aaron Wainwright, Morgan and Taulupe Faletau.

That was swiftly scuppered by Faletau suffering a knee wounded pinch Cardiff and past skipper Morgan joined him connected nan sidelines successful nan 54th infinitesimal of nan autumn opener against Argentina.

Plans person been ripped up and nan caput coach has named a rejigged backmost statement of Wainwright, Alex Mann and Olly Cracknell to look nan Brave Blossoms connected Saturday.

The nonaccomplishment of British and Irish Lions guardant Morgan to a dislocated near enarthrosis is simply a hammer blow.

"I don't deliberation you tin switch Jac Morgan for a minute," admitted Tandy.

"Jac is an unbelievable subordinate and if anyone loses large players it's difficult to switch them. That's erstwhile you look astatine what you person got.

"You're not going to switch him like-for-like, but yet we've sewage to find a measurement to equilibrium that off."

All-action Ospreys guardant Morgan plays successful arguably nan astir perilous position connected nan field, putting himself astatine consequence pinch explosive carries and jackals, truthful Wales must beryllium prepared.

"You don't scheme connected losing your skipper but it's a sadistic and beingness sport. We person to beryllium adaptable," said Tandy.

Athletic Wainwright burst onto nan segment successful 2017 arsenic a blind-side flanker who could besides play open-side.

The 28-year-old has settled astatine number 8 for Dragons successful caller years and his past nine commencement arsenic a flanker was successful March 2022 erstwhile he moved for Ross Moriarty.

However, shifting to blind-side astatine Test level is thing caller for Wainwright owed to nan beingness of nan legendary Faletau.

Physical Cracknell, who made his Test debut disconnected nan chair past week, has besides specialised astatine number 8 for Leicester aft antecedently being versatile for Ospreys and London Irish.

The brace will beryllium tasked pinch dovetailing against a Japan broadside who for illustration to play astatine precocious speed.

"That's nan situation of world coaching from nine coaching," admitted Matt Sherratt, who near Cardiff for nan occupation arsenic Wales onslaught coach.

"It's yet not really astir really I want to play, my occupation is to get nan champion retired of nan players we person got.

"It's not one-size fits all. Let's not bemoan what we haven't sewage successful Wales, really tin we maximise nan expertise we person got?"

Mann started nan United Rugby Championship (URC) impressively for Cardiff aft starting some summertime Tests successful Japan astatine blind-side.

Now he moves crossed for a first world commencement astatine open-side aft playing location conscionable doubly successful nan URC past season.

There are mobility marks complete Mann's suitability to play astatine blind-side against nan heavy-hitters but nan 6ft 3ins, 16st 2lb guardant undoubtedly has charismatic attributes.

"He's sewage elasticity successful really he plays," said Tandy, a combative flanker successful his playing days.

"He has diversion ability, ball-playing skills but besides his power levels pinch really he gets disconnected nan statement successful defence.

"He gets group to nan floor, he's a jackal threat and has line-out ability. He is an all-round subordinate who tin play crossed nan backmost row."

Mann has worn six connected his backmost six times successful world rugby to spell on pinch a brace of appearances disconnected nan bench.

"It's conscionable a number, immoderate nan coaches inquire of maine I make judge I springiness 100% truthful it doesn't matter to me," said nan 23-year-old from Aberdare.

Wales mightiness not switch Morgan but nan starting trio - positive replacements Freddie Thomas and Taine Plumtree - purpose to soften nan blow.