Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'It can’t carry on like this' - Warren Gatland’s Wales reign hurtling towards conclusion

By PA
Warren Gatland, Head Coach of Wales, looks on prior to the Guinness Six Nations 2025 match between Italy and Wales at Stadio Olimpico on February 08, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Warren Gatland’s second reign as Wales head coach appears to be hurtling towards its conclusion.

ADVERTISEMENT

The New Zealander, who brought so much success to Wales in terms of Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and World Cup semi-final appearances during his first stint in charge, could have only three games left.

Wales’ dire 22-15 Six Nations loss against Italy in Rome was their 14th successive Test-match defeat and potentially the final straw for his Welsh Rugby Union bosses.

Video Spacer

Lomu – The Lost Tapes – Jonah’s fitness | RPTV

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 2:45
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 2:45
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Lomu – The Lost Tapes – Jonah’s fitness | RPTV

    Featuring never-before-seen footage, Jonah Lomu shares his story and how he escaped gang violence to become the planet’s most iconic rugby player. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV and via the RugbyPass app

    They have promised a review after the tournament, and it might not be a long one, given the evidence they are likely to be presented with.

    The WRU assessed Wales’ miserable Autumn Nations Series campaign earlier this season, ultimately backing Gatland to continue.

    Fixture
    Six Nations
    Wales
    18 - 27
    Full-time
    Ireland
    All Stats and Data

    But speaking at the time, WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said: “I’ve had a number of very honest conversations with Warren, and I will make no secret of the fact that his position was on the line as we undertook our review.

    “Further than that, 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.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Defending Six Nations champions Ireland are next up for Wales in Cardiff on February 22, before a Murrayfield appointment with Scotland and Principality Stadium finale against England.

    Wales, now standing at a record low of 12th in the World Rugby rankings, are closer to countries like Belgium, Brazil and Namibia in terms of points than current leaders South Africa.

    They have not won a Test since the 2023 World Cup, lost eight Six Nations games on the bounce and suffered back-to-back defeats against Italy for the first time.

    On current form, a second successive Six Nations wooden spoon awaits after a performance against Italy that was arguably their worst since Gatland returned ahead of the 2023 tournament. Wales have now lost 20 of 26 Tests during that time.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    On Gatland’s future, former Wales fly-half and captain Dan Biggar told ITV: “I don’t think anything is off the table at the moment.

    “It can’t carry on like this. We said in the autumn, it can’t be 14, 15, 16 (defeats), but at the minute it’s going to be 14, 15, 16 unless something absolutely miraculous happens.

    “At the minute, it just isn’t working. Whatever is going on from Monday to Friday clearly isn’t being transferred on to the pitch on a Saturday.”

    Warren Gatland
    Warren Gatland – PA

    For his part, Gatland accepts the current situation is “challenging”, but that he “definitely” still wants the role.

    “There is no doubt it’s challenging,” Gatland said, as the latest inquest began. “As a group, the players are working incredibly hard.

    “It is frustrating from our point of view in terms of the accuracy and some of the discipline. But the boys spoke well in the changing room at the same time about keeping together and continuing to work hard.

    “When you are under pressure, some of your decision-making goes off-cue. You definitely feel the pressure as a team that hasn’t won for a while.

    “We are frustrated as a group of players, there is no-one more disappointed than we are. They (Wales fans) are incredibly supportive of the players and want them to do well.

    “We are disappointed we could not give them something more to cheer about.”

    Related

    Download the RugbyPass app now!

    News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

    ADVERTISEMENT

    South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

    Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

    Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

    The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

    Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

    Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

    Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    2 Comments
    C
    CR 96 days ago

    It'll turn, but unfortunately they fired a good coach to hire a has been. Now the chickens have come home to roost. Same happened to Australia when they fired Rennie and swapped him for Eddie. I think a coach can definitely get too old to be at the cutting edge of what is needed at that level, some can go for ages but some definitely lose their touch.

    O
    OJohn 95 days ago

    Rennie's win rate was 38%. He was hopeless.

    Load More Comments

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    S
    Solenn Bonnet 3 days ago
    Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

    My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

    CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

    EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

    WhatsApp.. +15617263697

    website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

    Telegram.. +15617263697

    0 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy Bordeaux’s thrilling pretenders and salary cap changes threaten Toulouse supremacy
    Search