Interim Wales head coach Matt Sherratt on his emotions after coaching Wales for the first time
“I was probably lucky I didn't see my family on the way, so I've embarrassed myself on the bus and cried in front of the boys”
Matt Sherratt was full of emotion after Wales fell just short in a 27-18 defeat at home to Ireland in the 2025 Guinness Six Nations. The interim head coach who has stepped up from his role at Cardiff was more than pleased with his side's performance.
“I loved it. I've enjoyed the week as well it was obviously a very busy start of the week, but yeah, everything about it, the journey into the ground is unbelievable, brilliant atmosphere, wasn’t it? So yeah, very, very enjoyable day.” Sherratt said after he was asked how he felt come the full-time whistle.
“Yeah, if I'm honest, I think we probably got a little bit more of the training week on the field than, I had imagined and credit to the players. We had only really three days of training so to replicate what we did on Tuesday, and Thursday as many times as we did. I was pretty pleased. So it shows a good group, very engaged all week. We asked for two things before the game. Show the crowd some emotion and some ambition. And I think within the structure, which was important, we did that” Said Sherratt.
Sherratt was open to admit he let his emotions get the best of him in front of his squad when the team arrived at the Principality Stadium.
“Yeah, it's, when the game's going on, you kind of just go into like club mode. I didn't really feel the atmosphere then the bus journey in was, if I'm honest, quite emotional. I was probably lucky I didn't see my family on the way, so I embarrassed myself on the bus and cried in front of the boys.
But it was just a great occasion. I really enjoyed it and probably go back to Monday, that's what I spoke to the players about it's important that we take a breath sometimes and en enjoy game days. It's easy to get bogged down with kind of this stuff and the outside noise, but it's really important that game day's enjoyable for all the staff because we're really lucky to be doing it.” said Sherratt.
Sherratt was full of praise for how his side applied themselves against Ireland and admitted there could be a change of fortune for the Welsh side.
“Yeah, definite. It's, it's a big step forward. You know, it was close against that Ireland team, you know, they're one of the best teams, in the world. So, you know we could take a lot of positives from that, especially with the week that we've had and we spoke about being proud of the effort that we put in as a group and as a squad and the effort put in throughout the week and we can just keep on building onto that now over the next couple of weeks.
Onto the Scotland game, there's always pride in that jersey and the boys step on that field and never all boys always give a hundred percent and have a lack of effort.” He said.