Gatland fires Dragons again after World Cup disaster
His international career was over. His 100th cap had ended in a defeat by Fiji that sent Wales crashing out of the tournament.
“It can be the most brilliant thing in the world and the most desperate thing in the world to be a Welsh rugby player,” he said.
September 29 was the most desperate. In failing to reach the quarter-finals, Wales had registered their worst World Cup performance of the professional era.
Within hours the coach Gareth Jenkins had been sacked and senior player Martyn Williams had retired, admitting he could not imagine a worse way to bow out.
So from despair to where? Ryan Jones summed it up best this week.
“We were at rock bottom,” he said. “We had nowhere else to go but up.”
Incredibly, just five months on, Welsh rugby will enjoy one of its most “brilliant” occasions this Saturday when the revitalised national team tackle France for the Grand Slam. Under a new coaching team and a new captain, Wales have lifted the Triple Crown and sit on the brink of the RBS 6 Nations title and a 10th Grand Slam.
The catalyst for change was the Welsh Rugby Union’s decision to sack Jenkins before the team had even left France; chief executive Roger Lewis launched a worldwide search and by mid-November New Zealander Warren Gatland had been appointed on a four-year contract through to the 2011 World Cup.
Gatland then snapped up Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley as coaches: the trio had worked together and won together at Wasps. The challenge now was to do it with Wales and Gatland knew attitudes had to change.
“It’s about intensity and making sure we work under pressure. There is absolutely no excuse for a player pulling on an international jersey and not dying for the cause,” Gatland said.
“If I can create that environment then it’s going to go a long way to us getting some results on the field.”
Gatland and Edwards have Wales working in short but intense bursts to toughen the players mentally and physically, and it’s worked. Wales have been fitter than all four previous opponents and Edwards has reinvented a defence that had leaked points at the World Cup.
Heading into Saturday’s Grand Slam decider, Wales have conceded only two tries — both of which Edwards classes as “opportunist” — in four matches.
Gatland has fuelled the intensity by creating fierce internal competition for places. “I want the players who are here to feel like they are the elite but under pressure from those outside to keep their places,” Gatland explained.
Gatland has also sent out a fierce message after the win over England that indiscipline will not be tolerated. Alix Popham, who to many had made a significant impact off the bench, was dropped because of the number of penalties he gave away and has not been seen since. Gatland’s bold decisions have all worked: against Scotland he replaced both half-backs with 20 minutes to go, and Stephen Jones closed out the win.
Gatland made two crucial decisions early in his reign: the first was to appoint Ryan Jones captain, and he has led by example. Top ball-carrier in the tournament, he’s already being touted as a potential captain of the 2009 Lions. The second big call was to persuade Martyn Williams to cut his international retirement short after one match and three months.
Gatland’s man-management has brought the best out of Gavin Henson and is doing the same for scrum-half Mike Phillips.
All of the above has been translated into four straight victories and teed up Saturday’s Grand Slam challenge. Wales have not yet produced a perfect 80-minute performance but they have produced four winning performances. Previously, they would not have been able to enjoy one without the other.
Gatland and Edwards have taken Welsh rugby from the despair of World Cup elimination to the brink of silverware, and they have fostered the belief that more “brilliant” days lie ahead between now and 2011.
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