Pool B preview:The Welsh Rugby Union will conduct a review of the national coaching team after the World Cup with media pressure mounting on the governing body to jettison the head coach, Gareth Jenkins. The union insists it will take its own course of action, conscious the revolving-door policy operated in the past - 12 head coaches in 21 years - has helped to create a mire of mediocrity.
Jenkins's contract runs out at the end of next year's Six Nations. He wants to extend it, arguing after only 16 months in the job he has not had the time to mould the squad in his own image. Wales have gone into every World Cup with a relatively new coach in charge and, apart from the inaugural tournament, they have failed to progress beyond the quarter-final stage.
The media gave Jenkins a mauling after last Saturday's defeat to Australia, never mind that Wales's record against the major southern hemisphere sides is little short of dire: one victory against the Wallabies in the last 20 years, only one against South Africa in 101 years of trying and a run of defeats against New Zealand stretching back to 1953.
"Much of the media coverage has been personal. I have been around long enough to be able to deal with that, but what I take great exception to is the attempt to drive a wedge between players and coaches," the coach said.
Jenkins has been accused of abandoning the free-flowing style which was the hallmark of the side which won the grand slam and replacing it with a more structured approach. "The players and the coaches are together in how we want to play," said tonight's captain, Stephen Jones. "What was good enough in 2005 is out of date today."
WALES:Morgan; D James, Robinson, Hook, S Williams; S Jones (capt), Phillips; Popham, Charvis, J Thomas, A-W Jones, W James, Horsman, T Rhys Thomas, D Jones. Replacements: Bennett, Jenkins, Evans, M Williams, Cooper, Sweeney, Shanklin.
JAPAN:Loamanu; Endo, Imanura, Onishi, Onozawa; Robins, Yoshida; Miuchi (capt), O'Reilly, Makiri, Thompson, Ono, Soma, Matsubara, Nishiura. Replacements: Inokuchi, Yamamura, Kumagae, Watanabe, Kim, Taira, Kusumi.
Referee:J Jutge (France).
Guardian Service
Wales v Japan
Cardiff, 8.0
On TV: Setanta Ireland
