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Warren Gatland's 'straight up' admission over his Wales future

By PA
Warren Gatland, Head Coach of Wales, looks on prior to the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match between Wales and South Africa at the Principality Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Warren Gatland accepts that change is likely if Wales do not show signs of improvement during this season’s Guinness Six Nations.

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The New Zealander is under huge pressure following a record 12 successive Test defeats and a post-Autumn Nations Series review that was completed by the Welsh Rugby Union just before Christmas.

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said Wales head coach Gatland’s position “was on the line” as that review commenced.

Against that backdrop, Wales face a ferociously tough opening Six Nations appointment with France in Paris on January 31, followed by an away clash against Italy eight days later.

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Wales have not won a Test since beating Georgia during the 2023 World Cup, and Gatland said: “I am conscious and well aware that if things don’t improve, then there is likely to be a change from the Union.

“I have been pretty straight up about it, but for me it is about rising to the challenge of making sure we go out there and perform well.

“Obviously, this tournament is about winning. We can’t hide away from the fact that we’ve got to go out there and play well and give a real performance. That is what we need to do as a group and as a coaching team as well.

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“It (review) was pretty encompassing, not just looking at the team, but looking at the whole of Welsh rugby. It looked at things to be put in place for the future.

“There was some criticism of things, which you expect in any review. There were things for us to look at in terms of some changes they felt we could make going forward.

“You do question yourself and think about the things you could implement to improve things and make a difference. It is also about trying to strike a balance between not making radical changes and finding some tweaks to improve things.”

Speaking after the review findings were announced, Tierney said she had had “a number of very honest conversations” with Gatland.

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Tierney added: “Like any head coach in any sport, he knows the security of his position is directly related to the performances of the team and that this is a situation that will continue to intensify.

“There is a tough challenge ahead, but Warren is more than up for that challenge. We also believe he is equal to it.”

As part of the wide-ranging review, players were canvassed for anonymous feedback on the autumn campaign that saw Wales beaten by Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

Gatland added: “I think for us, it gave us an insight into some of the things that they found challenging and things that they wanted more of, so we have taken that on board.

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“But you have also got to realise that they are still young players as well and that’s a small moment of their thoughts.

“The questions that I ask sometimes – of the players that have given feedback and stuff – is, what has their experience been in a professional winning environment? None of them have really had that experience, so for them, how do they know what that looks like?

“Even the people doing the reviews or being part of the review process, those are the questions that I asked myself in terms of ‘what is their experience or involvement in high-level professional sport winning environments’?

“I would like to think that we’ve got people who have been involved with that environment and are lucky enough and able to draw on those past experiences and know what it feels and smells like to be part of it.”

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Comments

1 Comment
S
SL 3 days ago

I think most Wales fans would be happy to see Gats carry on until the RWC but what we want is to see an evolving style of play. The direct stuff has it's place but winning teams are now scoring 4+ tires a game. The 'arm wrestle' is hardly seen these days. What we want is to see our boys go 20 or so points up and make the opposition play catch up. Defence is important but scoring tries is more important these days. And to achieve that style Gats has to be prepared to move on and to do this he needs to replace his whole coaching staff. Perhaps the 6N is too soon but immediately after he should look to recruit new people. As for the 6N, I think wins over Italy, England and Scotland are a good possibility.

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 minute ago
Will the Springboks Bomb Squad bomb out before 2027?

Really, did you? It seemed to me like you were just applying causation (like with your reply), not making an observation (like people have also done to the U20 example) like Nick was, hence what I was pointing out, But OK.


Clear distinction to me. Not that I buy his argument, but yes, he does often repeat ones points back to you again!

what is the argument in reference to Foster/Razor? That they aren't capping many people because the talent isn't there?

Not really. And I didn't say I agreed with Nick's observation. Just that you can assume from his opinion that there weren't other new players demanding selection which any !diot could see.

Which is pretty much the whole argument. It's easy to bring good players up, it's the others that are needed to come through that requires real (coaching) ability. It's the whole argument following the Foster/Razor period for the ABs. Quite ironic to have SA as pointed out as being an example to follow (which was some of the more extreme points/people).

Just what I wrote, is what I meant. That they didn't do enough. Not;

not a lot of new caps because no one is worthy.

As I've pointed out, that's a bit simplistic. Of course it's only simplistic because the whole debate is simplistic. SA only have four teams, NZ 5, so why shouldn't they have less new players (age or not, but I agree you'd be looking more)?


Specifically, and actually when I'm reading that back I suspect my dyslexia just got the best of me again and my fingers wrote "argument" twice when I meant something more like "debate" ("It's the whole debate following the Foster/Razor period for the ABs"), Razor or Foster weren't doing enough to find and give opportunity to new players, instead happy to continue with old (fair point that SA's are bit older than NZs) players while only pick obvious talent (often out of necessity).


Anyway, having to think about what I meant again, I'm starting to appreciate their might not be anything wrong with the sort of numbers, and what they reflect, that you highlighted there. As long as other factors like the performances of those you have picked are their etc.


Also;

He means theres not a lot of new caps because no one is worthy.


Which is pretty much the whole argument.

That's probably a wrong statement or poor grammar too. I didn't mean that's actually the case, but that it is what many people have construed as the arugment/causality from say the case of New Zealands recent poor results. It was ".. pretty much the common misconception" would have been better. Of course I'm thinking from a New Zealand perspective, where with such low numbers etc it's often been a case of having to make the best of things/players.

190 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
Will the Springboks Bomb Squad bomb out before 2027?

Nick wrote an entire article based on extensive research producing a stunning list of the ages of the springbok props.

Haha Sorry mate I was only giving you stick about thinking that Rassie would be paying attention to this stuff (sorry if I didn't get the SA'n falvour to that bit of stick lol). I just added the SBDD title in on a whim because it fits like a charm 💔

How about an article that digs a little deeper and either (1) identifies future up and comers (never heard of Asenathi for example*) (2) proves that all the possible options available to the boks over the next three years are sh1t?

I know mate but this article is nowhere near the stretch some of the tripe he comes up with about New Zealand or Super rugby is. I don't think he was trying to repeat the same old chestnut about age however, just loves his scrummagers too much not to take note of Frans' game.

This would be “fairer” and more enjoyable to read for South African consumers of this websites product.

Yep, I've come to realise there is never any "extensive research" though (more of a gather), so he can't do what would be cool. Perhaps if his producer only wanted 1 article a month from him he could? Like researching fouls in scrums (though he's probably far too underpaid for that type of work).

This is a Ben Smith style article. Albeit milder. Indeed his prints are on it.

And yet when it all comes down to it, they are very fair points. Just because you already know it, doesn't mean the rest of the reader base, which would include a large amount of South African's, doesn't know it.

The New Zeland coverage is so good there are so-called Saffers on here highlighting the depth of NZs front row. Yet Nick’s never heard of Asenathi. But he’s heard of Tevita Tatafu.

That was funny. I had read the article about him first though before (or maybe I just hadn't noticed him) seeing him running around the field bowling players over.


It started out as a NZ site/product, previously owned by NZR, so going to have people still follow it. Are you getting confused with the Japanese player? Tevita is a French International lol You'd expect to know him!

A lot more articles are regularly published out of Rugbypass HQ in Dublin highlighting the frailties, shortcomings and problems associated with the springboks than any other team.

Again, it was the ridiculous Rassie reference that made me comment, not your reaction (I always comment anyway). I knew where you were coming from.


Oh, and I genuinely wanted to know if there were players in their 20s on the up, as you hadn't appeared to make this observation/correction to the article. I would have thought there would be, more than Asenathi, but I can accept other commentors who suggest the hard edge of experience is favoured at the clubs too, not just in the Springbok. Because you don't need a crop of players like this, who hit their peak very early, to last 10 or 12 years in the team. You can get by just fine with a bunch of 28 to 32yos who are peaking for their club to supplement each four year cycle.


We got carried away when we found an author who gave us good oil on rugby in other parts we didn't know as well. I try not to get carried away now.

190 Go to comments
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