Wales given 'time to grieve' to help them bounce back

Players given time off to get over crushing first Test defeat to Japanese

- By DAMIAN SPELLMAN

WALES head coach Matt Sherratt will send his side into second Test battle with Japan having allowed them to 'grieve' over their heartbreaking defeat in the first encounter.

The Welsh face the Brave Blossoms under the closed roof at Noevir Stadium in Kobe on Saturday desperate to gain revenge for last weekend's 24-19 reverse in Kitakyushu, in which they led 19-7 with 20 minutes remaining.

That represented an 18th successive defeat for a proud rugby nation, and Sherratt revealed he has taken a piece of advice from British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell on board as he plots the way forward.

Asked how he has lifted the players, he said: "I learned from the Six Nations. I will tell you how it happened, actually.