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Ireland match no time to experiment, says Wales coach Sherratt

football20 February 2025 17:02| ยฉ AFP
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Matt Sherratt ยฉ Gallo Images

Interim Wales coach Matt Sherratt insisted on Thursday that a Six Nations showdown against Ireland was no time for experimentation despite the team being on a record streak of 14 consecutive test defeats.

Wales are winless since beating Georgia in pool play at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, since enduring their worst ever string of losses.

Sherratt, the head coach at Cardiff Blues, has been taken on to oversee Wales' three remaining Six Nations games โ€“ starting with Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday before a trip to Scotland and England at home โ€“ after New Zealander Warren Gatland left his role as coach.

The Englishman made eight changes to the team that capitulated 22-15 to Italy, a defeat that sealed Gatland's fate.

"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," Sherratt said of having brought in Gloucester's flyhalf Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn.

The pair didn't make Gatland's initial Six Nations squad, but Sherratt had no hesitation in giving them, and Harlequins flyhalf Jarrod Evans, a call-up.

"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 otherโ€™s habits, is important," Sherratt said.

"Japan in the summer is the time to blood youngsters. But just personally, I donโ€™t feel Ireland is the time to experiment."

That said, Sherratt did name one debutant in the starting XV in the form of winger Ellis Mee, who has played just 10 games for Scarlets after joining from English second-tier club Nottingham.

"He's looked brilliant this week," conceded Sherratt. "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."

FINE BALANCE

Sherratt admitted that he had little time to really influence the team, with just four sessions together, including only two proper training run-outs.

"I'll be honest with you, it's tough," he said, having flown to Ireland for Cardiff's game against Connacht at the weekend only to return straight back into a Wales coaches' meeting on Sunday.

"It's bang for buck this week. It's a fine balance. I've had to keep giving myself a small talking to about not drowning the players in information.

"There's lots and lots of detail I'd like to get across to the group about how we play, but this week has been about coming in, getting the mindset right and a good positive attitude, and then just putting in a framework where the players feel comfortable enough to put all their energy into something.

"I've been pretty pleased that we've got a framework and the players have some clarity."

Sherratt insisted that there had "not been any lack of effort from this squad".

"We just needed them to all channel it in the right direction. Hopefully we'll see some signs of that against one of the best teams in the world."

"Our challenge as a Welsh squad is to make sure we stand for something and have a clear identity... I want the players to be brave. If they see space, I donโ€™t want us to die wondering.

"If there's an error, there's an error," he said, before adding: "I've been in the game long enough now that I'm not going to just say go out and have a crack as that gets messy."

Sherrat concluded: "Historically the Wales-Ireland games have always been ferocious battles. They won't come with any change in mindset.

"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."

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