Ahead of Wales’ Guinness Six Nations encounter against Scotland, Wales head coach Matt Sherratt has praised captain, Jac Morgan for standout performances.
After strong outings against France, Italy and Ireland, Morgan has shown all the ingredients of being a great in the game and certainly has put his name in the hat for contention for a British and Irish Lions spot.
On the 25-year-old, Sherratt said: “He’s been brilliant.
“I knew him to say hello to from playing and training against the Ospreys. But you can see why he’s captain. He’s very, very popular in the squad. He’s not a captain who talks a great deal. He’s more of an action captain for me.
“That’s why he’s topping all the stats. He’s got a very good manner in the squad. I don’t see a hierarchy. A player like Ellis Mee who we’ve just talked about is as respected by Jac as much as someone like Toby Faletau.
“He’s very good at doing that – being what I call the thermometer of the group. He’s very good at going between the junior and senior figures. He’s as effective and as popular with all of them. He’s been brilliant for me as well and really supportive.”
In what will be his penultimate match as Wales head coach, Sherratt has named the same starting XV in consecutive matches for the first time since the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
After giving Ireland a scare in Cardiff last timeout, Sherratt stated that he was keen to “let them go again” for their clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Saturday will also see for the first time since the World Cup pool stage matches against Georgia and Australia in Japan, that Wales’ starting lineup hasn’t been changed. Under both Wayne Pivac and Warren Gatland’s second stint as head coach, Wales have not managed to put out the same starting team in consecutive matches.
“It wasn’t hugely deliberate against Ireland. I just thought that it was good enough to give them all a go again,” said Sherratt.
“When you think of the best teams you ever supported you could pretty much name the team. While they have gone well, let’s let them build the combinations.
“The fallow week wasn’t helpful and coming back in on Monday you could tell there was a bit of re-learning to do. Eight or nine days back in their clubs means they are picking up different languages in terms of calls for the same type of movements.
“So on Monday it was almost like we need to re-learn again. By Tuesday they were talking in a Wales team language once again.”
Despite the spirited performance against Ireland, Wales have lost their last 15 Test matches, but that performance at a packed out Principality Stadium certainly brought back some sort of belief in Welsh Rugby.
“I’ve sensed a lot of positivity which has been brilliant for the players,” Sherratt added.
“On that, a lot has been made about three training sessions but I’ve got to say the staff as a whole has been brilliant. It’s not been about me coming in. The other coaches, our defence was excellent against Ireland.
“The set-piece was very good thanks to Humphs (Jonathan Humphreys) and Bomb (Adam Jones). TR (T. Rhys Thomas) has come in too and done a lot of the forward skills. A lot of the phase shape has been coached by him. The medics, S&C and analysts have been outstanding. Really supportive to me and got right behind the players.
“The players have really felt that support from the staff and the icing on the cake is support from the country as a whole. That’s given the players a major boost.
“It may add some extra expectation, but I think the players have got that themselves. They want to go up to Scotland and build on what they’ve done, rather than let last week be last week.”
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