Quinlan lashes out at 'bitter' Gatland
Former Ireland international Alan Quinlan has hit out at Warren Gatland’s ‘condescending and insulting’ comments following Ireland 19-10 defeat of Wales in Dublin on Saturday.
In his post-match press conference, Gatland told reporters that Ireland had won the game after returning to a simplistic game plan, comments which have led Quinlan to claim that the Wales boss is still ‘bitter’ about his time in Ireland.
“Ireland went back to what they are traditionally good at,” Gatland said.
“They just played phase, after phase after phase, see if they can get a penalty chance, kick the ball down the field and then try and squeeze you in your 22.”
Speaking on Irish radio on Monday morning, Quinlan fired back at the Wales head coach, arguing that Gatland’s side were by far the least ambitious of the two teams.
“What expansive rugby did they play? Where were they effective? They got one try in the game from an interception,” said Quinlan, speaking on Off The Ball AM.
“What does Warren Gatland expect Ireland to do? Throw the ball around the place and show their hand before the World Cup? He was never going to do that either.
“Ireland went back to what they’re really good at” #IREvWAL https://t.co/8BeDATLqow
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 7, 2019
“I like Gatty, but that stuff irritated me after the game. It was condescending and insulting.”
Quinlan, who won 27 caps for Ireland, suggested that Gatland’s experiences in Ireland have left the New Zealander bitter towards the country.
Gatland was sacked as Ireland coach in 2001 following three years in the job. He left with a 47% win rate as head coach.
Gatland has enjoyed a mixed relationship with Ireland ever since.
“I don’t know why he needs to say that stuff after a game,” said Quinlan, “I was more disappointed with that than any of the stuff Gatty’s said before.
“It was bitter, and there is a bitterness there in Warren Gatland about what happened to him a long time ago when he got shafted here.
“It would have been nice if he’d come out and given more credit to Joe Schmidt for what he’s achieved, and Rory Best in his last game there, but what he was saying is absolute b*******.”
Quinlan backed up his argument by addressing the manner in which Wales won the Grand Slam earlier this year.
“Wales won a Grand Slam in the Six Nations just gone by, [and] Ireland scored 14 tries and Wales scored 10.
“He’s talking about ambition. Winning a Grand Slam while scoring 10 tries – no bonus point in five games. What’s he talking about? What way does he play?
“His team are stopping teams from playing, they’re competing incredibly aggressively around the breakdown, putting massive pressure on teams.”
Warren Gatland on why Wales can win the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
Except 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.
33 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.
2 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
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 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
33 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.
33 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. 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.
33 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.
33 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.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments