Harlequins boss Danny Wilson has embraced the change of roles and becoming Matt Sherratt’s assistant as Wales bid to end their record losing streak in Japan.
Wilson has joined the Wales coaching staff for the upcoming two-Test tour of Japan, with Cardiff boss Sherratt resuming interim head coach duty.
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Sherratt, who filled in for the final three Six Nations games after Warren Gatland left in February, worked as Wilson’s assistant at the Cardiff Blues in 2016-17 but those roles have now been reversed.
“I left Wales and my role at Cardiff in 2018 and I have some really happy memories,” said Wilson, who was Dragons forwards coach between 2010 and 2012 and also had a spell in charge of the national Under-20s side.
“I first worked with Matt at Bristol and then having seen how good he was, I was desperate to bring him to Cardiff.
“We had a pretty good time together and then went our separate ways into different projects after a pleasing end by winning a bit of silverware with Cardiff (2018 European Challenge Cup).
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“We work well together and dovetail a fair amount, but we are responsible for different areas.
“I’m very respectful of who is in the head coaching role. He was very supportive of me in our period together at Cardiff, and likewise me now.”
Wilson left Wales to forge his career in Scotland, working as forwards coach for the national team between 2018 and 2020.
He then spent two years at Glasgow Warriors before moving on to Harlequins in 2023, a role he will resume “when I get off a flight from Japan”.
Wilson knows plenty about the challenges facing Wales in Japan after being part of the Scotland set-up at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
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Scotland were eliminated at the group stage after suffering a shock 28-21 defeat to Japan in Yokohama.
“There are big challenges around the humidity and cultural differences,” said Wilson.
“We did a huge amount of work on the humidity side of things and that is already being done.
“Greasy balls is an obvious challenge. I remember going out there and in the first few training sessions there were a lot of balls on the floor.
“There is a very passionate and hungry group of players here. In the short time I’ve got to know them I’ve found them to be a very responsive group to coaching.”
Wales suffered a 17th straight Test defeat – a record for a Tier One nation – when hammered 68-14 at home by England in March.
They play Eddie Jones’ Japan in Kitakyushu on July 5, with the second Test in Kobe a week later.