1
'I hate it' - How Gatland dealt with the source of a 2008 media leak in Wales camp
British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland has recalled how he dealt with the source of a leak in the Wales camp back in 2008.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gatland was speaking with James Haskell on the latter’s What a Flanker podcast and told the story of how he was left perplexed and furious as team line-ups were being leaked to the media hours before being released at official press conferences.
Gatland coached Wales between 2007 – 2019 and was only months in the new job when the leaks started occurring during the Six Nations.
“I hate it if someone in the media gets hold of the team or leaks out the team,” Gatland told Haskell. “That really drives me crazy because that could come from somewhere internally. Those are the things that we can only control our environment.
“So not leaking information coming out of the environment is really important.
“When I got Martyn Williams back, it was going to be a big announcement. Before we announced the squad, someone had leaked it to the press two hours before.
“It wasn’t someone in the squad, but someone close to the squad.
“I somehow got the number of the person who had spoke to the journalist. It was an ex-player who was close to the team.
“I wrote it up on the wall and all the players then knew this is where the information came from.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Gatland and Wales would go on to win the Grand Slam that year.
In the next few weeks, Gatland faces maybe the most high-profile squad announcement in the sport with the confirmation of the 2021 British and Irish Lions squad for South Africa.
The 57-year-old says he is yet to decide the exact time frame for letting the players know, but will do so in a manner that will stifle any attempts to reveal the squad in the media, with the vast bulk of the squad finding out on the day itself.
The first step is to find out if the potential selections are willing to tour at all, given the logistics and personal dynamics of the pandemic.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’ll probably be next week when I try to contact a number of players to get a feel for where they are at. I might have to change it and give everyone one now.
“It’s about contacting those players and saying you are on a list to be considered for the tour.
“The last thing I want to do is pick a squad and then have half a dozen players pull out, but I wouldn’t hold it against any player and I’d understand their personal situation of being away from home, family and the challenges that’s going to bring.”
'And there was this one training session when he passed the ball to Alex King and he had enough and he just threw the ball back and said ‘I’m not taking that s*** anymore'https://t.co/MUdZxeuFWB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 18, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
51 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
51 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
51 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
51 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
51 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
51 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
51 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments