Tuipulotu credits Lynn's simple message as Wales chase back-to-back wins against Japan

Wales tight-head prop Sisilia Tuipulotu says a few quiet words from head coach Sean Lynn before each match have become a cornerstone of her performances, as the Welsh Women look to beat Japan for the second time in a week in the WXV Global Series on Saturday.

Tuipulotu, 23, played 78 minutes and earned her 39th cap in Wales’ 17-0 win over the Sakura Fifteen at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo — their first meeting of the series. A second victory would give Wales back-to-back Test wins for the first time since 2023.

“Lynny tells me before every game to just be me out there, and when I play with a smile on my face, that’s probably my best rugby playing,” said the prop. “Just having little conversations with him before the game really helps me play the best I can on the day.”

Tuipulotu reflected on a tight opening to the first Japan fixture, describing the contest as “tit for tat for probably the first 35 minutes” before Wales broke the deadlock just before half-time. She credited the forward pack’s collective focus for laying the foundation.

“We spoke in the week as a forward pack and said we wanted to do the best that we could in order to set a platform up for the backs to play off. Our scrums went really well, and we built that platform for them to play.”

The prop also highlighted the vocal support she received during a scrum-heavy second half. “There were lots of words of encouragement from the girls in the back row because there were loads of scrums in the second half. They were telling me and Kelsey [Jones] to keep going.”

Wales’ renewed momentum under Lynn has been building steadily. After going 13 months without a win, the side beat South Africa 50-19 in their opening WXV Global Series fixture in September before suffering a narrow 26-24 defeat to the USA Women’s Eagles. Saturday’s rematch with Japan offers the chance to finish the campaign with three wins from four matches.

Since taking charge ahead of the 2025 Women’s Six Nations, Lynn has handed international debuts to 12 players while working to develop the squad’s experienced core. Tuipulotu pointed to improvements in fitness as another marker of the programme’s progress, crediting the strength and conditioning staff for a demanding pre-season — and a “savage” pre-pre-season — as the foundation for Wales’ improved endurance in recent matches.