Former international player Leigh Halfpenny has been added to the Wales coaching staff for the upcoming summer tour of Japan.

Halfpenny brings bags of experience to the role of skills coach. The fullback won three Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, during his time in the red of Wales, as well as touring with the British and Irish Lions in 2013 & 2017, winning player of the tour on the former.

Halfpenny, who is third on the all-time points scoring chart for the Welsh men’s national team behind Neil Jenkins and Stephen Jones, will be in charge of kicking, restarts, and exits – the role previously overseen by Jenkins.

While the 36-year-old retired from the international game in November 2023, Halfpenny has been playing club rugby with English side Harlequins and the Premiership ending recently has brought on this opportunity for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

The positive relationship fostered between the WRU and Harlequins started when the latter allowed scrum coach Adam Jones to join the squad on a secondment during the Six Nations. Now, for July’s two-test tour of Japan, there will be three Quins coaches as part of Sherratt’s staff.

Danny Wilson will be taking charge of the forwards, with Halfpenny on skills, and Jones continuing his scrum consultancy.

The trio compliment Sherratt as head coach and leading on the attack, Gethin Jenkins on defence, and T Rhys Thomas as assistant forwards coach.

Sherratt said: “It’s great to have Leigh complete the coaching team for our two-Tests this summer. For him to pass on his knowledge and experience to our young backs will be brilliant.

“With three weeks until we arrive in Japan, we’re excited to get together and maximise our preparation with the squad.”

Halfpenny added: “To be asked to work with the men’s national squad this summer is a huge honour and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity.

“I really enjoyed my experience coaching with the U20s a few years ago and I’m looking forward to continuing my development in this area over the next few weeks.

“Neil Jenkins has been a massive influence on me throughout my career. He’s one of the best that there has ever been and I’ve been privileged to have learnt so much from him and I hope I can take that knowledge forward into this role.

“I’m still finalising my plans beyond the summer and hope to update more on that front soon. In the meantime, I can’t wait to get into camp and join up with Matt, the rest of the coaching team and squad next week.”

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