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Matt Sherratt outlines long-term position on Wales job
Interim Wales head coach Matt Sherratt has ruled himself out of contention to replace Warren Gatland on a full-time basis.
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Gatland’s departure was confirmed earlier on Tuesday, following a run of 14 straight Test defeats, with Welsh Rugby Union CEO Abi Tierney insisting it was a mutual decision reached during a phone call with the New Zealander on Monday.
On Tuesday, Sherratt faced the media for the first time since accepting the role, the speed of developments highlighted by the fact the Cardiff boss arrived at The Vale still wearing his club tracksuit.
Tierney backed Sherratt to succeed in “bringing hope back to Welsh rugby” during the remaining three matches of the Six Nations, but the Englishman maintained his long-term commitment remains with Cardiff.
Asked he wanted the job permanently, Sherratt replied: “No, it will be to the end of the Six Nations.
“I’ve signed a contract with Cardiff, Cardiff’s my first head coach job. Listen, there’ll probably be a couple of mistakes along the way, I’m learning.
“But it’s not something that I’ll be putting my name forward for. I’d like to do it for the rest of the Six Nations, help the squad, do my best for Welsh rugby and then I’ll be back to Cardiff to try and turn that around there.”
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Sherratt will remain with Cardiff for their United Rugby Championship match against Connacht in Galway on Saturday before starting with the national team on Monday.
He refused to be drawn on whether he will add any players – such as his Cardiff fullback Cam Winnett – to the Wales squad ahead of Ireland’s visit to the Principality Stadium on February 22 but conceded he needed to give the players belief for the remaining three rounds.
“It feels a little bit like when I started at Cardiff,” he said. “It’s pretty well publicised Cardiff were at a little bit of a low ebb when I came in and I said to Abi, the first thing is to start with mindset.
“I’ve coached international rugby before and it’s going to be very difficult to change a huge amount technically and tactically in what will probably be four sessions before we play Ireland.
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“But I do think we can get a mindset shift and a real excitement to play international rugby for Wales.
“It doesn’t matter what technical and tactical stuff you put on the pitch, if the players aren’t excited and motivated and going onto the pitch with belief and a lack of fear then the technical and tactical stuff doesn’t make any difference.”
Sherratt added that his team would go out to win all three of their remaining matches in this year’s championship, saying if he did otherwise he would “lose the room immediately”.
“We go out in every game wanting to win,” he said. “Same as we do at Cardiff, whether we’re playing Leinster or Zebre.”
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