Wales Team Guide Rugby World Cup, Japan Autumn 2019 celfcreative.com ウェールズ代表チーム @WalesTeamRWC19 wru.wales @WelshRugbyUnion 1 www.wru.co.uk @WelshRugbyUnion Warren’s Last Stand! Whatever happens at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Welsh rugby is in for a seismic change. After 12 years in charge, Warren Gatland will finally step down as our Head Coach and return to New Zealand. He will go back to his home town of Hamilton with the eternal thanks of everyone connected to rugby in Wales. His achievements during his time in his adopted country have been incredible. Take your pick from three Grand Slams, a record 14 match unbeaten run, 11 victories on the trot in Cardiff or reaching the No 1 status in the World Rankings as his greatest achievement. But one thing is certain, if he can guide Wales And with Alun Wyn Jones driving the team as into a first World Cup final, and even bring our captain we have one of the game’s all- home the Webb Ellis Trophy, then he will eclipse time greats in charge on the field. After three everything else he has achieved during one of tours with the British & Irish Lions, three Grand the greatest international coaching careers. Slams with Wales and now a fourth World Cup, No stone has been left unturned since the he has become the nation’s rugby talisman. 2015 tournament to try to find the winning If everything goes to plan, he will overtake formula to take to Japan. The coach believes his another of Welsh rugby’s golden greats, Gethin side can match any team in the world and our Jenkins, as our leading cap holder in Japan. performances back up those thoughts. More Gethin won 129 caps and Alun Wyn is now just importantly, the players say they are ready for two short of the record. the greatest challenge of their careers. Will this Pool D contains some familiar World Cup foes, be tour greatest moment? We all hope so. none more so than Australia. The game against Japan promises to be a spectacular event for the the Wallabies in Tokyo on Sunday, 29 September, world game, the first tournament held outside will be crucial in determining the outcome of one of the traditional strong holds of the game. the group stages. It will be our seventh meeting We have done a lot of preparatory work in the at the World Cup and you have to go back to cities we will be visiting and the warmth of the Bronze Final in 1987 for our only win, but the welcomes we have received in Kitakyushu, we ended a 13 match losing streak against them Oita and Kumamoto in particular – who have in Cardiff last Autumn with a 9-6 victory and all partnered with us help us roll out our rugby something similar in Japan would be ideal. We outreach programme in their cities – has shown open against new opponents, Georgia, but then Japan is a country that is ready to embrace what have to face Fiji and Uruguay, both of whom has become one of the biggest and best global were in our pool in 2015. Plenty of potential sporting tournaments. banana skins and a realisation that a possible quarter-final against Argentina, England or We go as the Grand Slam champions from the France looms in the distance. northern hemisphere and a recent No 1 ranked team. Injuries have once again gone against us, Now is the hour – we are in for a sensational with both Taulupe Faletau and Gareth Anscombe six weeks of rugby. ruled out, but the strength in depth that Warren has been built-up in the squad means we are Gareth Davies better able to cover their losses than in the past. WRU Chairman 2 www.wru.co.uk @WelshRugbyUnion Rugby World Cup Fixtures 2019 Date Pool Match Location KO Result Fri Sept 20 A Japan v Russia Tokyo Stadium 19:45 / 11:45 ........ /........ Sat Sept 21 D Australia v Fiji Sapporo Dome 13:45 / 05:45 ........ /........ Sat Sept 21 C France v Argentina Tokyo Stadium 16:15 / 08:15 ........ /........ Sat Sept 21 B N. Zealand v S. Africa Yokohama Stadium 18:45 / 10:45 ........ /........ Sun Sept 22 B Italy v Namibia Hanazono Stadium 14:15 / 06:15 ........ /........ Sun Sept 22 A Ireland v Scotland Yokohama Stadium 16:45 / 08:45 ........ /........ Sun Sept 22 C England v Tonga Sapporo Dome 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Mon Sept 23 D WALES v GEORGIA Toyota Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Tue Sept 24 A Russia v Samoa Kumagaya Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Wed Sept 25 D Fiji v Uruguay Kamaishi Memorial 14:15 / 06:15 ........ /........ Thur Sept 26 B Italy v Canada Fukuoka Stadium 16:45 / 08:45 ........ /........ Thur Sept 26 C England v USA Kobe Misaki Stadium 19:45 / 11:45 ........ /........ Sat Sept 28 C Argentina v Tonga Hanazono Stadium 13:45 / 05:45 ........ /........ Sat Sept 28 A Japan v Ireland Shizuoka Stadium 16:15 / 08:15 ........ /........ Sat Sept 28 B S. Africa v Namibia Toyota Stadium 18:45 / 10:45 ........ /........ Sun Sept 29 D Georgia v Uruguay Kumagaya Stadium 14:15 / 06:15 ........ /........ Sun Sept 29 D AUSTRALIA v WALES Tokyo Stadium 16:45 / 08:45 ........ /........ Mon Sept 30 A Scotland v Samoa Kobe Misaki Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Wed Oct 2 C France v USA Fukuoka Stadium 16:45 / 08:45 ........ /........ Wed Oct 2 B N. Zealand v Canada Oita Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Thur Oct 3 D Georgia v Fiji Hanazono Stadium 14:15 / 06:15 ........ /........ Thur Oct 3 A Ireland v Russia Kobe Misaki Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Fri Oct 4 B S. Africa v Italy Shizuoka Stadium 18:45 / 10:45 ........ /........ Sat Oct 5 D Australia v Uruguay Oita Stadium 14:15 / 06:15 ........ /........ Sat Oct 5 C England v Argentina Tokyo Stadium 17:00 / 09:00 ........ /........ Sat Oct 5 A Japan v Samoa Toyota Stadium 19:30 / 11:30 ........ /........ Sun Oct 6 B N. Zealand v Namibia Tokyo Stadium 13:45 / 05.45 ........ /........ Sun Oct 6 C France v Tonga Kumamoto Stadium 16:45 / 08.45 ........ /........ Tue Oct 8 B S. Africa v Canada Kobe Misaki Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Wed Oct 9 C Argentina v USA Kumagaya Stadium 13:45 / 05.45 ........ /........ Wed Oct 9 A Scotland v Russia Shizuoka Stadium 16:15 / 08.15 ........ /........ Wed Oct 9 D WALES v FIJI Oita Stadium 18:45 / 10.45 ........ /........ Fri Oct 11 D Australia v Georgia Shizuoka Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Sat Oct 12 B N. Zealand v Italy Toyota Stadium 13:45 / 05.45 ........ /........ Sat Oct 12 C England v France Yokohama Stadium 17:15 / 09.15 ........ /........ Sat Oct 12 A Ireland v Samoa Hakatanomori Stadium 19:45 / 11.45 ........ /........ Sun Oct 13 B Namibia v Canada Kamaishi Memorial 12:15 / 04:15 ........ /........ Sun Oct 13 C USA v Tonga Hanazono Memorial 14:45 / 06:45 ........ /........ Sun Oct 13 D WALES v URUGUAY Kumamoto Stadium 17:15 / 09:15 ........ /........ Sun Oct 13 A Japan v Scotland Yokohama Stadium 19:45 / 11.45 ........ /........ 3 www.wru.co.uk @WelshRugbyUnion Date Pool Match Location KO Result QUARTER-FINALS Sat Oct 19 1 WINNER PC v R-UP PD Oita Stadium 16:15 / 08:15 ........ /........ Sat Oct 19 2 WINNER PB v R-UP PA Tokyo Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ Sun Oct 20 3 WINNER PD v R-UP PC Oita Stadium 16:15 / 08:15 ........ /........ Sun Oct 20 4 WINNER PA v R-UP PB Tokyo Stadium 19:15 / 11:15 ........ /........ SEMI-FINALS Sat Oct 26 1 Q-F 1 WIN v Q-F 2 WIN Yokohama Stadium 17:00 / 09:00 ........ /........ Sun Oct 27 2 Q-F 3 WIN v Q-F 4 WIN Yokohama Stadium 18:00 / 09:00 ........ /........ BRONZE FINAL Fri Nov 01 S-F 1 LOSS v S-F 2 LOSS Tokyo Stadium 18:00 / 09:00 ........ /........ RWC FINAL Sat Nov 02 S-F 1 WIN v S-F 2 WIN Yokohama Stadium 18:00 / 09:00 ........ /........ Wales’ Rugby World Cup Pool Matches Officials 2019 23 SEPT: WALES V GEORGIA, CITY OF TOYOTA STADIUM Ref: Luke Pearce (Eng) AR1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZ); AR2: Matt Carley (Eng) TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng) 29 SEPT: AUSTRALIA V WALES, TOKYO STADIUM Ref: Romain Poite (Fr) AR1: Luke Pearce (Eng); AR2: Karl Dickson (Eng) TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ) 09 OCT: WALES V FIJI, OITA STADIUM Ref: Jerome Garces (Fr) AR1: Romain Poite (Fr); AR2: Karl Dickson (Eng) TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ) 13 OCT: WALES V URUGUAY, KUMAMOTO STADIUM Ref: Angus Gardner (Aus) AR1: Luke Pearce (Eng); AR2: Karl Dickson (Eng) TMO: Rowan Kitt (Eng) www.wru.co.uk @WelshRugbyUnion 4 Media Schedule SEPTEMBER Sunday 22th September 10.30 - 02.30 Toyota Wednesday 11th September Vision access to eve of match session - Depart UK followed by Eve of Match media session Thursday 12th September Toyota. EVE of MATCH, 1 x Coach, 2 players Arrive Japan. Arrive: 07.10 Monday 23th September Friday 13th September 19.15 - 11.15 Japan WALES V GEORGIA Saturday 14th September MATCHDAY Travel to Kitakyushu Tuesday 24th September Fly – 10.15 Training camp begins 16.00 - 08.00 Sunday 15th September Travel to Tokyo. Travel day 13.30 - 05.30 Kitakyushu 1 x Management 1 Player Arrival Press Conference Train – 12.10 - Toyota (5nights) Head coach, Capt + 6 players (Media on arrival) Training camp Wednesday 25th September Monday 16th September Tokyo. Non-media day. Quotes or Embargo 14.30 - 06.30 Kitakyushu Thursday 26th September Vision access to open training session 13.00 - 05.00 Tokyo.