Edwards: Gatland has been vindicated

SHAUN EDWARDS has paid tribute to his boss Warren Gatland for following a “gut instinct” that could ultimately see Wales crowned world champions.

More than a third of Wales’ matchday squad against World Cup semi-final opponent France next Saturday is likely to be aged 23 or under.

Wales coach Gatland’s faith in them has not wavered, either before the World Cup or during a tournament when players like captain Sam Warburton, number eight Toby Faletau and centre Jonathan Davies have become pivotal performers.

“It is down to Warren,” said Wales defence specialist Edwards, in assessing the startling arrival on a world stage of the gifted young generation.

“He followed his gut instinct. He probably took a lot of stick from certain people, but once again he has been proved right.

“We came to New Zealand last year with umpteen number of players missing, and we played against the All Blacks in Hamilton and pushed them very close.

“In that team, we had about four 20-year-olds in the back-line.

“You have to coach them (younger players) a bit differently. Experienced players I would coach a little differently.

“They (youngsters) just want to be taught. If you tell them to jump over that wall they will jump over it. If it’s an experienced player, you will tell him why you want him to jump over that wall.”

Wales’ exciting style of rugby during the past month has won them many new admirers, and they will head into the French clash having scored 169 points and 24 tries.

“I get the impression a lot of neutral people are now supporting us,” Edwards acknowledged.

“When asked, people often say that their second favourite team is Ireland, but I have been absolutely taken aback by the amount of positivity from the New Zealand people and other nations. They are saying that we’re now their second team.

“I would feel unfulfilled if we don’t win this weekend. It would have been a relatively successful campaign, but you don’t get opportunities like this too often. It is up to us to seize the moment,” he added.

Meanwhile, France coach Marc Lievremont named an unchanged side and then warned: “We must not rest on our laurels. In the last three years we have managed to beat Wales, but if we start looking at it from that angle, it’s a recipe for disaster.

“The risk in rugby is always that you can rest on our laurels.

“(In 1999) we kept looking back to our victory in the semi-final and struggled to focus ahead of us on the final.

“Australia were programmed to win that final and they made us pay a heavy price.

“We mustn’t rest on our laurels. Getting to the semi-final is a very big deal and I’m very happy with the performance of my players.

FRANCE: M Medard; V Clerc, A Rougerie, M Mermoz, A Palisson; M Parra, D Yachvili; J Poux, W Servat, N Mas, P Pape, L Nallet, T Dusautoir (capt), J Bonnaire, I Harinordoquy.

Replacements: D Szarzewski, F Barcella, J Pierre, L Picamoles, F Trinh-Duc, D Marty, C Heymans.