Gethin Jenkins: Japan’s warm-up match with Maori All Blacks is a ‘bonus’ for Eddie Jones' side

Saturday’s encounter at Tokyo’s historic Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium will be Eddie Jones’ side’s first outing since last November’s 59-14 defeat against England. This is all in preparation for two-Test matches in Kitakyushu and Kobe against a Wales side who sit only one place above Japan in the World Rankings.

“I think it’s probably a bonus for them,” said Wales’ second-most capped men’s player Jenkins at the Vale Resort.

“They get a warm-up game before they play us. A lot of our boys haven’t played for three or four weeks. That’s why we’ve been trying to replicate what we can. But it’s also a good opportunity for us to watch them play.

“I think they haven’t played since November, so it will be a good opportunity to see what they’re doing in terms of how much they have changed.”

Japan head coach Eddie Jones, has said his side’s aim is to run Wales off their feet, in what will be scorching temperatures in both Kitakyushu and Kobe.

“Watching Japan, that’s the way they have played for a long time,” continued Jenkins. "They try to get quick ball and as fast rucks as possible. Their stats in that area are high, so we are aware of what’s coming.

“It’s my job to put things in place so we can slow up their ball and impose our defence.”

The 43-year-old has been seconded from his role at Cardiff Rugby, which is the same story for all of Wales’ other coaches on their Far East tour.

This isn’t his first taste of coaching internationally for Jenkins, as under Wayne Pivac, he previously held the role of defence coach from October 2020. However, back in December 2022, when Warren Gatland returned to take charge of the national team, he was not retained.

He takes over the role for the second time in place of Mike Forshaw, who is rumoured to be joining Leicester Tigers ahead of next season’s Gallagher Premiership. Jenkins’ job will now be aiming to improve Wales’ defence. However, he will be without a standout performer from this year’s Guinness Six Nations as Jac Morgan is absent through Lions duty Down Under.

“I’m not into talking about other coaches, Mike Forshaw would’ve worked hard to put his system in place,” Jenkins explained. "There’ll be little tweaks in terms of calling systems, in terms of what I ask of the players.

“I’m not starting from scratch, it’s just about what tweaks I can make with the players. The other thing is when they come back into Wales camp, they have been at four or five different clubs. Sometimes it is a reset anyway.

“It’s about getting them comfortable with the way I want them to defend. It’s not easy for some of them because they might be used to defending in a different way.

“When I worked it out, there were only six players I hadn’t worked with before. Most of them know me, how I coach and what I want from them.”

Jenkins will have fond memories of playing Japan back in 2004, when he scored one of 14 tries in Wales’ 98-0 victory in the Welsh capital. However, this is a different Wales team and more crucially a different Japan side which played on that date.

“Back then we would always play against Japan or Romania in the autumn and, no offence, you knew we’d score a lot of points,” added Jenkins.

“Those days are long gone. Japan have shown in the last 10, 15 years they can compete with any team on their day. We are well aware of that and at home how much pride they will have in trying to beat us.”