Wales have turned to the Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt as their short-term replacement for Warren Gatland, with the Englishman overseeing the side through to the end of the Six Nations.
Wales and Gatland parted ways by mutual consent after a disastrous 14-match losing run, which has been extended by dismal defeats to France and Italy in the first two rounds of the championship.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) intend to appoint a permanent successor ahead of the two-Test summer tour of Japan.
For now, though, Sherratt is given the unenviable task of preparing a struggling side for three fixtures against Ireland, Scotland and England with Wales theoretically still in the hunt for the triple crown.
"Matt Sherratt takes over at a pivotal time,” WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said. “It is a credit to him that he has not hesitated to answer Wales’s call and is also testament to the strong relationship that now exists throughout the Welsh professional game that Cardiff Rugby are fully supportive of the move.
"Matt will return to Cardiff Rugby after the Six Nations in order to concentrate his efforts on what is already a promising campaign for our capital club.”
Cardiff currently sit fifth in the United Rugby Championship (URC) table as the best performers of the four Welsh regions in the competition. They take on Connacht on Saturday in Galway, with Sherratt taking charge of that fixture before arriving in Wales camp on Monday, just five days ahead of the clash with tournament favourites Ireland in Cardiff.
Sherratt is in his second season as head coach in the capital, finishing 12th in the URC in his first campaign. He recently put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Cardiff Arms Park after forging a strong bond with the club’s squad and fanbase.
Though in his first full-time head coaching role, Sherratt has developed significant experience on either side of the Severn since embarking on his coaching career in 2005 as a development manager at England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU). He previously worked as a teacher.
An attack and backs specialist, long stints at Worcester and Bristol showed his capacity for developing young players before arriving in Cardiff as an assistant in 2016.
Impressive work earned Sherratt a role on the 2017 Wales tour of the Pacific Islands, which was steered by Robin McBryde while Gatland was coaching the British and Irish Lions.
A move to the Ospreys in Swansea followed soon after before a return to Worcester that preceded his current role.
At Cardiff, Sherratt has instilled real attacking verve in a squad that includes a number of those now under his charge internationally. Eight of the Wales squad for the Six Nations are drawn from the capital club, with recent departee Tomos Williams another who has familiarity with the new interim coach.
Perhaps the most intriguing player with which he will reunite is playmaker Ben Thomas. The 26-year-old has started the first two matches of the Six Nations at fly half but more regularly features at inside centre under Sherratt, wearing 10 just once at club level this season.
"It’ll be hard to change things tactically,” Sherratt said after being appointed. “But we can get a mindset shift. It doesn't matter what tactical stuff you put on the pitch, if there’s a lack of belief or fear.
"The first step is that the players are really excited to take the field."
Gatland believed that Thomas could evolve into an international class fly half, but a shift to 12 might be beneficial with youngster Dan Edwards coming into consideration for a first Test start.
It is not clear how much influence Sherratt will be afforded given a short-term brief, but if empowered to make tweaks to his squad, both fly half Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn could come into consideration for a recall.
The pair were high-profile omissions from Gatland’s initial squad for the tournament after strong performances for Gloucester, and with Owen Watkin’s knee injury, there could be scope for the duo to be called up. Sherratt has worked with both backs in the past.
