In Cardiff, Wales’ interim head coach will go up against a man being considered among those to take on the role long term.
Matt Sherratt will be in charge of Wales for the first time at Principality Stadium since being parachuted in to succeed Warren Gatland who departed after presiding over 14 straight losses. In the opposite coaching box will be Ireland’s Simon Easterby, a man who is of interest to the Welsh Rugby Union, but has distanced himself from them this week.
Sherratt has worked at Bristol, Worcester, Ospreys and Cardiff and has had past interim assistant stints with Wales. Now, he is the main man, even if only briefly.
‘When I was asked to do this job for the rest of the Six Nations, I said to the players to back yourselves and be brave,’ Sherratt said. ‘I worked with Andy Robinson at Bristol and he had a lasting effect on me. He always gave me confidence to be myself and to try things.
‘It would be really hypocritical of me to tell my players to be brave and to back themselves and then say no to doing that myself. I’m a teacher. And I just think I’m teaching and my subject is rugby. I don’t see it any different whether it’s international or club.
‘I’ve just backed my coaching process. I’ve been on a long journey from primary school teaching, being a community rugby coach going around schools delivering tag rugby sessions, and from academy to senior and then international. I’m pretty proud of that.
Wales interim coach Matt Sherratt has worked at Bristol, Worcester, Ospreys and Cardiff
Matt Sherratt talks his Wales squad through some tactics as they prepare to host Ireland
Wales’ defeat by Italy in the last round of Six Nations matches was their 14th loss in a row
‘When you first start, you worry you’re not a name or an ex-player. But I’ve been in the game long enough to see what professional rugby is all about.’
Alongside Easterby and Glasgow’s Franco Smith, current Leicester head coach Michael Cheika is also of interest to Wales. Cheika will depart the Tigers at the end of the season.
‘I haven’t spoken to Cheiks since I’ve been in Wales camp. I’m sure he’ll have his own ideas of what he wants to do,’ said Leicester and Wales flanker Tommy Reffell.
‘Cheiks wants the best for us boys at Leicester and he wants to push the team as far as he possibly can. He’s a great coach and he wants to improve players every day.’
Cheika would undoubtedly have a big influence on Wales initially, but the questions over Gatland’s long-term successor are for another day.
Saturday is all about Sherratt. He has had just four training sessions with Wales before facing Ireland, who are chasing a Grand Slam under Easterby’s guidance with Andy Farrell on Lions duty. Expect a Welsh upturn of sorts under Sherratt, predominantly because they couldn’t really get worse than what they produced under Gatland in Paris and Rome.
Ireland’s James Lowe skips past Blair Kinghorn to score in the 32-18 win at Murrayfield
Michael Cheika, who leaves Leicester at the end of the season, is linked with the Wales job
Simon Easterby, filling in for Andy Farrell who is on Lions duty, distanced himself from the role
It is, however, unlikely to be enough for a victory.
Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Ellis Mee; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee, WillGriff John, Dafydd Jenkins, Will Rowlands, Jac Morgan (capt), Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Teddy Williams, Aaron Wainwright, Rhodri Williams, Jarrod Evans, Joe Roberts
Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (capt), Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Cian Prendergast, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Bundee Aki
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
Kick-off: 2.15pm Saturday. Principality Stadium, Cardiff
TV: BBC1
