Successful Wales start no surprise to Fitzpatrick

Sean Fitzpatrick is not at all surprised former New Zealand team-mate Warren Gatland has made such a successful start to his tenure in Wales.

Gatland has changed the mood of Welsh rugby – from post-World Cup dejection to growing optimism – in the space of just two matches with RBS 6 Nations victories over England and Scotland.

Former hooker Fitzpatrick, who kept Gatland out of the All Blacks Test team throughout his career, hailed the winning mentality he has already instilled into the Welsh camp.

“I’m not surprised Wales have started well because he has just gone in there and demanded,” said Fitzpatrick.

“He wants players that are totally committed and you look at the result at Twickenham – the Welsh wanted it more than the English.

“Players today are all as big as each other and all as strong as each other but it’s the way the mind operates. Warren just does not accept coming second and it’s totally unacceptable to even contemplate it.

“(In Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley) he has surrounded himself with very good people, people who have got a lot of attitude. And that is a big part of it.”

Gatland arrived in Cardiff with a reputation for making an immediate impact in a new job, after enjoying early success at Wasps and then Waikato.

Wales face Italy on Saturday reinvigorated by an unorthodox approach. Gatland and Edwards are demanding higher intensity during training sessions and promoting fiercer competition for places within the squad.

This week, Gatland has taken the bold move of making six changes to a winning team, including a whole new front row and half-backs.

“Even when they beat England, he was still very critical of the way they had performed,” Fitzpatrick continued.

“You enjoy your success and you celebrate – but you move on straight away and he moved on the next day and made changes.

“They went on and won again and beat Scotland, who supposedly were on the up. And he has now made a few more changes. He is trying to work out the players’ attitude.”

Gatland has always placed a great deal of stock in the way a player reacts to adversity. He expects them to be disappointed but also wants them to be determined.

One of those to return to the Wales side for the weekend is prop Gethin Jenkins, who is determined to prove Gatland was wrong to drop him for the opening two matches.

Jenkins captained Wales in November’s one-off Test against South Africa but then found himself relegated from skipper to substitute when Gatland took over ahead of the Six Nations.

The demotion hurt Jenkins but, after making telling impacts off the bench against England and Scotland, he has now been given his chance.

The 27-year-old will lock horns with the powerful Italian pack this weekend aiming to dislodge loosehead rival Duncan Jones for good.

Jenkins said: “The first week he (Gatland) turned up, I realised I wasn’t going to be starting.

“To go from captain to the bench was really disappointing for me.

“This is the first chance I have had in front of Warren, the first chance he has given me to start. Now I just want to keep the jersey for the next three games.”