Tour diary #3: International fiascos, recognisable faces and a tactical change
With the captain's run done and dusted, it's nearly time for Wales' first Test in Japan
It’s still very, very hot out here in Kitakyushu.
A handshake with one of the Wales coaches at this morning’s captain’s run could only be described as uncomfortably clammy.
That captain’s run was at 10am local time, yet the heat was hard to handle. As the players and coaches made their way out, Adam Jones - being the experienced tourist he is - headed straight for a pitchside industrial fan.
As one of the players said earlier in the week, it’s the sort of weather that gets you halfway to sweating just by stepping outside.
Being stood around on the side of the pitch was just about enough.
Being made to wear a yellow TV bib because I was filming a few minutes of training (like the red slippers, I was once again the only one targeted) didn’t exactly help my body temperature.
The mad thing is that the captain’s run was mid-morning. Tomorrow’s game will be at 2pm locally.
Nothing will be decided until the day of the game in terms of cooling breaks. Things like global temperature, temperature, wind speed and humidity are all put into a metric to work out a score which fits into one of five categories.
However, as things stand, don’t be surprised if there’s a 20-minute half-time break. Certainly, broadcasters will be preparing for that eventuality.
As a sidenote, one familiar face to keep an eye out for when tuning in from home is Ben Warburton, brother of Sam.
The Scarlets physio is out here with Wales while Geoff Davies and John Miles are with the Lions.
It’s been a source of slight comfort to learn that the locals are finding the weather right now just as stifling as we are.
One question to Dewi Lake from a local journalist concerned the heat, with an interesting pre-amble to begin with.
“I’m hoping this match doesn’t create an international fiasco because we’re playing under these really, really severe conditions,” came the translation from the initial question.
“As Japanese people, when we first heard the kick-off time, we were just like ‘there’s no way’ because it’s just crazy hot. Anyway, here’s the question…'“