Llewellyn hopes to give Wales a taste of Sonny Bill

Wales centre Llewellyn was paired with Scarlets' James, who stands 6ft 4in, for the first time in the match against Japan, according to the report. The selection marked Steve Tandy's sixth different centre partnership and indicated a shift away from the previous policy of using either Joe Hawkins or Ben Thomas in midfield. Llewellyn has only one appearance at outside centre for Gloucester this season, and his sole previous start at inside centre for Wales came against England in a World Cup warm‑up game in August 2023.

Llewellyn said he enjoyed the experience, adding, "I really enjoyed it. It was the first that I have played with Eddie and I thought we played pretty well together." He noted that the first week of training focused on locking down the combination, stating, "The first week of training was about making sure we had the combination locked down and I felt that happened really quickly." Regarding his role, he explained, "The roles are definitely different. At 12 you get a lot more direct tackles and at 13 you get a few more opportunities when you are out in a bit of space.

I enjoy playing both and I am fortunate that I can play both, but in the long-term 12 is where I will probably be. I think that is where I could get the best out of myself going forward. I enjoy both positions, and they both have different opportunities, but the physical aspect of the game at 12 suits me."