It's time for Wales to repay Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland cut a relaxed, confident figure this week as he prepared for his final Six Nations as Wales head coach.
Gatland, who will leave his post following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, appears totally at ease with the task facing him in his last nine months in Wales.
He even found time to have dinner with England rival Eddie Jones when he travelled to London for Wednesday’s Six Nations launch, describing his relationship with his fellow international coaches as good. “There is no animosity there,” he said.
It is all something of a contrast to his first appearance at the tournament’s annual grand unveiling, in 2008, when the newly installed Wales coach took aim at the Rugby Football Union for its handling of Brian Ashton’s contract and allowing Shaun Edwards to join him at The Vale.
Back then Gatland was the young upstart with a point to prove. When he accepted the Welsh Rugby Union’s offer a few months previously, he was searching for the loyalty he felt was absent in Ireland and Waikato.
Having arrived with the Wales national team at its lowest ebb, the hurt of a pool-stage exit from the 2007 World Cup still raw, he restored the national team’s reputation almost immediately.
In Gatland’s first game in charge, England were beaten at Twickenham for the first time in two decades as the charge towards a Grand Slam started in fine style.
Another clean sweep would follow in 2012 before that electric March night in 2013 on which Wales smashed England 30-3 inside the Principality Stadium to snatch the championship from under the noses of their great rivals.
Gatland was not in the Wales dugout for the latter triumph, during his sabbatical with the British and Irish Lions, but it was undoubtedly his team and a victory earned in his image.
Whatever happens between now and the end of the World Cup, Gatland will leave his post as a legend of Welsh rugby and quite possibly the greatest Wales coach of all time.
Yet there is a feeling that the best could still be to come.
Now the elder statesman of Six Nations coaches, Gatland has found the loyalty he craved when he arrived in Cardiff 11 years ago. And it is telling that three of his most trusted lieutenants – Edwards, Rob Howley and captain Alun Wyn Jones – remain from that opening win at Twickenham.
It is clear that Gatland is quietly confident that a fourth Six Nations championship of his tenure could be secured by March 16, and he has good reason to be.
Wales currently sit third in World Rugby’s rankings, are on the longest winning run of the New Zealander’s reign and find themselves just two wins shy of the country’s all-time longest streak.
Gatland’s side travel to Paris on Friday having lost just once in their previous seven meetings with Les Bleus, and that a farcical denouement featuring reset scrum after reset scrum that the men in red led until the 99th minute.
That Wales face both Ireland and England – the two pre-tournament favourites – at home in Cardiff only adds to the feeling that Gatland is set for a glorious goodbye to Northern Hemisphere rugby’s showpiece event.
But despite his calm demeanour, Gatland’s championship preparation has not been without its setbacks.
Taulupe Faletau broke his arm playing for Bath just days before the Six Nations squad was announced, while Leigh Halfpenny was included but will not play any part in the first two matches – at least – as he continues to battle concussion symptoms.
Of the 39 players selected by Gatland for the championship, only 27 were able to train when the squad met up at their training base at The Vale last Monday.
Centre Scott Williams looks set to miss the trip to Paris, but much of Gatland’s concern is focused on the second-row where Adam Beard – a star in the autumn – is suffering from a concussion and Cory Hill has had an injection in a shoulder injury.
Experienced Scarlets lock Jake Ball was back in PRO14 action for his region on Friday but the situation was grave enough for Gatland to joke to Jones on Wednesday: “Don’t get injured, whatever you do”.
Wales also have problems in the back three – where Liam Williams is nursing a broken finger and Josh Adams a hamstring injury – and back-row, where Ross Moriarty is another recovering from a concussion.
But the squad depth that Gatland has worked so hard to nurture since the last World Cup means that they are still well stocked in each position. Hallam Amos, Steff Evans and Jonah Holmes are ready to step into the back-three, while the loss of Faletau, Ellis Jenkins, James Davies and potentially Moriarty is offset by the form of Aaron Wainwright, Josh Navidi and Thomas Young.
Captain Jones revealed this week that the squad would not be “overly sentimental” when the time comes to say goodbye to Gatland. There might not be any tea or cake but the players would love to send the Kiwi coach on his way with some more silverware.
Jones said: “We want to win the Six Nations and the biggest compliment you can pay Warren is you want to play for your coach.”
It would take a Welshman with a heart of granite to suggest that Gatland did not deserve it.
Comments on RugbyPass
I've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
7 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
43 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
7 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
7 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
7 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
7 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
7 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to comments