Wales And Japan Battle To Avoid World Cup Nightmare

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.

After ending their embarrassing Test losing streak astatine 18 successful Japan past summer, 12 is nan magic number for Wales erstwhile they big nan Brave Blossoms successful Cardiff.

The Steve Tandy era started past play pinch a 52-28 conclusion to Argentina successful nan autumn opener astatine Principality Stadium.

Flashes of attacking play against nan Pumas gave immoderate logic for optimism, but nan fixture against Japan is simply a must-win if nan Wales caput coach is to sphere positivity.

With dates against New Zealand and South Africa to come, Wales desperately request to extremity their 10-Test losing streak successful Cardiff.

They request to enactment 12th successful nan world rankings, nan man who wears 12 is successful nan spotlight and they section a broadside pinch 12 players who will not complete nan autumn series.

dAfter conscionable 3 weeks pinch nan squad, Tandy and his caller guidance squad are understandably focused connected building foundations.

However, 80 minutes against Japan will person a immense effect connected what is to travel successful Australia successful October 2027.

The tie for nan World Cup takes spot connected 3 December pinch a caller format for an expanded 24-team tournament.

There will beryllium six groups of four, pinch nan apical 2 teams progressing to a information of 16 on pinch nan 4 champion third-placed teams.

Wales are presently 12th successful nan world rankings and that would mean they spell into nan 2nd set of six. Japan are 13th and would leapfrog Tandy's broadside pinch victory.

"There's tons astir ranking points connected this crippled but yet arsenic a squad we've sewage to attraction connected ourselves and really we turn arsenic a team," insisted nan Wales boss.

Opposite number Eddie Jones insists nan World Cup is not connected his mind, contempt suffering an early exit erstwhile successful complaint of Australia past clip retired erstwhile Wales and Fiji progressed.

"Every Test lucifer counts. The adjacent lucifer is nan astir important game," said Jones.

"I don't deliberation anybody considers their rankings erstwhile they spell into a Test match. Within nan squad it is not a constituent of discussion."

Wales progressed from reliable groups successful 2015, 2019 and 2023, but would for illustration to debar a nightmare tie successful nan adjacent World Cup.

The worst-case script - should Wales suffer to Japan and driblet to 13th successful nan rankings - would beryllium coming retired of nan chapeau successful a group made up of South Africa, Argentina and Tonga.

Some consciousness Ben Thomas was fortunate to debar suspension aft kicking retired erstwhile held disconnected nan shot by Argentina flanker Pablo Matera past Sunday.

A yellowish paper was deemed to beryllium capable because nan TMO could find nary grounds of nan centre making contact.

Thomas was a cardinal man astatine Cardiff nether Wales onslaught coach Matt Sherratt and was astatine nan bosom of plentifulness of promising moments pinch shot successful manus against nan Pumas.

He now has title from Joe Hawkins, now pinch Scarlets aft a spell astatine Exeter led to his world profession being put connected hold.

The brace person akin dimensions - 6ft and astir 15st - and nan action of playing some is impacted by nan request to springiness nan diminutive Dan Edwards a due ace astatine fly-half.

Thomas has won 15 caps and starts his 14th consecutive Test alongside Max Llewellyn.

"Ben is simply a value subordinate and that's nan measurement we want to play, having that 2nd brace of hands," said Tandy. "The imagination helps Dan successful really we want to play.

"Ben has played consistently good for Cardiff, has done really, really good for Wales and location was a batch of relationship betwixt 10 and 12, and pinch [scrum-half] Tomos Williams arsenic well. There was tons of positivity."

The retention of Blair Murray, 1 of Wales' agleam sparks successful a nightmare 2024-25, astatine full-back was different large talking constituent from nan action aft Argentina ruled nan air.

"A fewer months agone group were talking astir him arsenic a imaginable British and Irish Lions full-back," said Sherratt astir nan 5ft 8in Scarlets back.

"He is truthful vulnerable successful surgery section and is an instinctive player, truthful erstwhile he is backmost to winning nan aerial he will show what he has sewage pinch his moving game."

Tandy's matchday squad features 12 players based extracurricular Wales and unavailable for nan autumn finale against South Africa.

The caput coach has conscionable 2 much games pinch his first-choice line-up featuring nan likes of Louis Rees-Zammit, Tomos Williams, Nicky Smith, Adam Beard and Dafydd Jenkins.

"It's going to beryllium a spot of a headache," admitted Tandy, who opted against adding to nan contingent erstwhile overlooking Leicester open-side Tommy Reffell to switch nan injured Jac Morgan.

Reinforcements will soon subordinate nan squad – further hitting Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets for a information of United Rugby Championship action – and Tandy and his coaches will beryllium tested by getting players up to speed.

They will want to spot existent strides complete nan adjacent 2 Saturdays earlier disruption that is apt to get worse successful coming years.

Welsh rugby uncertainty makes it apt that a raft of in-demand players whose contracts expire successful nan summertime – including forwards Morgan, Dewi Lake and Aaron Wainwright – will look elsewhere.