Wales defence coach Peter Murchie has called for major improvements ahead of their Nations Championship match against Japan this Saturday.
After joining from Japan's Kobelco Kobe Steelers, this will be Murchie’s second campaign as Wales’ defence coach, with the 2027 Rugby World Cup now on the horizon.
In July, Wales kickstarted their Nations Championship campaign with a hard-fought victory over Fiji in Cardiff.
They then suffered back-to-back defeats to Argentina and South Africa, as the number of points conceded and tackles missed would have been hard to swallow for the 40-year-old.
“I was not happy with the defence overall; I think there is much more in us and improvements to be made,” said Murchie.
“We want to be extremely tough to break down and we want to be a tough team to play against.
“The players are really ambitious; they want to perform for Wales, and defensively, we want to be more consistent in our performances this November.”
Murchie given more time
Murchie joined Wales in June, a couple of weeks before their uncapped fixture against the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium.
This was because the Japanese League One season had only just concluded, as Murchie was part of the coaching staff that lifted the title against Spears Tokyo-Bay.
However, the defence coach has had more time with players from all four of Wales’ regions, as Murchie aims to improve his side in that area.
“I’ve had a much bigger lead-in than last time,” he added.
“We’ve got more of a complete coaching group and have been able to debrief the summer properly and prepare.
“We have been out in the regions, and it’s been a good preparation to obviously get the boys into camp.
“We have had more time to build relationships and to get prepared this time around.
“It’s been a positive start.”
Experiences in Japan
Having spent just one season in Japan, Murchie provided an insight into Japanese rugby culture.
“Culturally, it’s extremely different to anywhere else in the world, the way they’re taught and coached, and it makes them a really interesting group of people to coach,” added Murchie.
“I loved it and learned a lot. The rugby out there is completely different. You work for a company, and I essentially worked for a steel company.
“So you have got a real tie to them, and you have got to learn as a coach to work with 38-year-olds, who have been there for 20 years, and Ardie Savea in the same team.
Familiar opposition
Come Saturday afternoon in the Welsh capital, they will face Japan for the fourth time in less than two years.
They faced Eddie Jones’ side in Kitakyushu and Kobe in July 2025, when the series ended 1-1.
They met again that year in Cardiff, when Jarrod Evans' late penalty kick secured Wales a 24-23 win.
This time, Japan enter the contest after lifting silverware in September. Jones’ side claimed the Pacific Nations Cup, defeating defending champions Fiji 20-15.
With that, Murchie explained the challenges Wales will face in this far-from-straightforward opening match of their demanding November schedule.
“Look, Japan are a good team,” Murchie added.
“I coached there last year, so I know a fair bit about how they play and how they approach the game.
“In the last year or two, they’ve really progressed and pushed numerous top teams close. They could have beaten Australia in the summer.
“We know the threats; they’re skilful and fast, particularly the Japanese contingent, which is what they pride themselves on.
“They have also got a big foreign contingent in there who give them a different dimension; they give them size and bulk, especially around the forward pack.
“It makes them a difficult proposition to play against, and they’ve proven that in the Test matches they have played.
"We fully respect them, they’re well-coached and well-drilled, so we’ll need to be at our best.”
