Wales Look to Bounce Back from Argentina Defeat as Rees-Zammit Returns to Action
In a crucial match for Wales' Rugby World Cup draw prospects, the Dragons will face Japan at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. The 24-year-old Louis Rees-Zammit is set to make his first international start since returning to rugby union from his stint in American Football with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rees-Zammit's inclusion in Steve Tandy's starting XV marks a welcome return to form for Wales, who suffered a heavy 52-28 defeat to Argentina last weekend. With captain Jac Morgan ruled out of the remainder of the autumn series due to a dislocated shoulder, Rees-Zammit will be hoping to make an impact from his new position on the left wing.
Tandy has made four changes to his starting lineup, with Leicester's Olly Cracknell coming in at number eight and Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin replacing Rhys Carre and Keiron Assiratti on the bench. The match kicks off at 5:40 pm, and Wales will be eager to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Argentina.
A victory over Japan would not only be a morale boost for Wales but also carry significant weight in terms of the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw. As the tournament expands to 24 teams, the top six countries in the rankings will be seeded in band one, while teams from sixth to 12th place will fall into band two. Japan currently occupy 13th spot in the standings, just 0.32 points behind Wales.
A win against Japan would ensure that Wales remain in band two, rather than falling into band three, which would result in a tougher draw for the team. The Dragons will face New Zealand and South Africa in their final two matches of the autumn series, but a positive result against Japan could give them hope of avoiding a difficult group stage.
Wales' previous encounter with Japan ended in a 31-22 victory in Kobe last July, which snapped a record 18-match losing streak. With Rees-Zammit back on the pitch, Wales will be hoping to replicate that success and send out a statement of intent ahead of their World Cup bid.
In a crucial match for Wales' Rugby World Cup draw prospects, the Dragons will face Japan at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday. The 24-year-old Louis Rees-Zammit is set to make his first international start since returning to rugby union from his stint in American Football with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Rees-Zammit's inclusion in Steve Tandy's starting XV marks a welcome return to form for Wales, who suffered a heavy 52-28 defeat to Argentina last weekend. With captain Jac Morgan ruled out of the remainder of the autumn series due to a dislocated shoulder, Rees-Zammit will be hoping to make an impact from his new position on the left wing.
Tandy has made four changes to his starting lineup, with Leicester's Olly Cracknell coming in at number eight and Nicky Smith and Archie Griffin replacing Rhys Carre and Keiron Assiratti on the bench. The match kicks off at 5:40 pm, and Wales will be eager to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Argentina.
A victory over Japan would not only be a morale boost for Wales but also carry significant weight in terms of the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw. As the tournament expands to 24 teams, the top six countries in the rankings will be seeded in band one, while teams from sixth to 12th place will fall into band two. Japan currently occupy 13th spot in the standings, just 0.32 points behind Wales.
A win against Japan would ensure that Wales remain in band two, rather than falling into band three, which would result in a tougher draw for the team. The Dragons will face New Zealand and South Africa in their final two matches of the autumn series, but a positive result against Japan could give them hope of avoiding a difficult group stage.
Wales' previous encounter with Japan ended in a 31-22 victory in Kobe last July, which snapped a record 18-match losing streak. With Rees-Zammit back on the pitch, Wales will be hoping to replicate that success and send out a statement of intent ahead of their World Cup bid.
Rees-Zammit's return is a game-changer for Wales, #RugbyWorldCup2027 is looking more promising by the minute 
. Steve Tandy's team changes are spot on, and a win over Japan would be a total #MOTD (Match of The Day) 
. Let's hope they can bounce back from that Argentina defeat and show everyone what they're made of! 
Wales need to bring their A-game if they wanna avoid a tough group stage, but I've got faith in them! 
Can't wait for the match on Saturday, let's go Dragons! 
he's always been a centre for a reason, but I guess it's better than nothing... 5:40 pm kick off is gonna be an early one tho 
and Japan are like the ultimate dark horse in rugby - don't count 'em out just yet 
- Theodore Roosevelt 
. I mean, Rees-Zammit is back and he's played some sick stuff in the States, so maybe he can bring that same energy to the pitch for Wales. On the other hand, Japan has been on fire lately and they're not gonna go down without a fight 
️. And let's be real, even if Wales win, it's not like it's going to guarantee them a spot in band one 
. Still, I guess it'll be an entertaining match and we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out 
.
and i'm so excited to play some games on it... or maybe watch some rugby with rees-zammit 
... how does he do in american football? did he go pro or was it just a fun thing to try? 
1.32 points behind japan in the rankings is a big gap to close tho 
! And let's not forget about the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw - if they win against Japan, it could make all the difference 
! Wales need dis win 2 bounce bak from that argie defeat 
. Japn's got some skills too 
but I think wales can take 'em down 
. Steve Tandy's made some changes and I'm hyped 2 see what happens 
! A win against Japn would b huge 4 Wales' World Cup chances 
1 point behind japan in the rankings? thats not rly a big diff but i get why it matters for the world cup draw 
24 yr old rees-zammit makin his intl start? big dealz!!! 
he's back from american footy with kansas city chiefs and jacksonville jaguars lol wot did u do 2 b away 4 so long?? 
i feel u wales 
️
steve tandy makin those changes 2 the team 2 
cant wait 2 c them bounce back against japan 
- those extra points could make all the difference come tournament time