Warren Gatland Wales Coach: Time Up? Part 2

by Guest Thu 05 Jul 2012, 7:17 pm

Continued from https://www.606v2.com/t32078-warren-gatland-wales-coach-time-up-part-1#1372019

So the 2010 season has concluded. I've mostly dwelt on the international side of things, and the first team's Test performances. But, like Henry and Hansen before him, Gatland saw the room for improvement across the board (in every sense) in Wales. From top to bottom, Wales could do with renovation.

The need for modernity, as a business, is one Roger Lewis, the head Chief Executive, understands. Though the figures on the scoreboard had not been pretty viewing for Wales, record profits of £27.6 million was very handsome indeed, around £20million of which went straight back into rugby; the regions, the Premiership, 'grass roots' initiatives and the Centre of Excellence. The Centre had opened at the start of the season, providing the slick, sleek and professional hub that it was clear Welsh rugby needed in order to continue striving for the top. One place, then, to nurture the raw talent Wales undeniably had, across all ages and formats of the game in an environment truly conducive to creating the calibre of players that Gatland demanded.

Whether by coincidence, or one demanding good performance from the other, the Welsh coaching and WRU board finally seemed to be in tune with each other. Player release from the regions had been negotiated to the satisfaction of Gatland, and no longer were the regions and WRU at loggerheads so consistently. The Scarlets had survived near-financial collapse, and this acceptance and clarity of where Welsh regions were in the scope of things was changing. The mess of the transformation to regional rugby weakened, perhaps relatively destroyed, some clubs, certainly. But it was necessary to have domestic teams that produced quality players able to step up to Welsh duty; we are now seeing the fruition of regional rugby, and the Scarlets' humble transformation saw them grow from within, and their academy system is producing, and will continue to produce, some of the finest Welsh players, backs especially, for a long time. The Ospreys and Blues also had success, the latter in Europe and the Anglo-Welsh cup, the former consistently challenging, and winning the league title. Gatland turned his attention to the Premiership, widely considered to be a poor cousin to the superior English Premiership, which was producing teams like Exeter which were capable to compete with established teams in the league above.

The severance from the old clubs that occurred in 2003 with the introduction of regional rugby was the first blow, but though it was effective, it had not gone far enough. Perhaps central contracting will be necessary in the future, but for now, it seems, streamlining the Premiership will suffice. A mess in itself, certainly, with the once great Pontypool, it has transpired, not part of this new, twelve team league. Personally, I feel like 8 teams, 2 for each region, is the only way a truly streamlined Premiership will have the kind of competition we need, but let's see how this pans out. These teams need to be financially viable; money talks in professionalism. Without a region, Valleys rugby will struggle; perhaps it can find a home in Oxford, who knows. But to bring this back to Gatland, he said he wanted a Premiership able to compete with the NPC in New Zealand. Whether this will be realised in Gatland's tenure remains to be seen, but something has begun.

Evidently, things were changing. The standard had been raised. It must be said that, for all that has been lost from amateurism, something has also been gained. This is true for every rugby nation in the world, bar none: just look at New Zealand having to sell their shirt because they have run out of ideas and money. For everything positive Gareth Thomas brought to the side and squad, he also brought negatives, and was undoubtedly a key component in the fall of Mike Ruddock. Ryan Jones' professional, hard working, quietly determined captaincy was almost a complete opposite to Thomas, though there were times when I, and many others, wished for just some of the the latter's fire to be shown by the number 8. His class over that period, not blaming anyone when he lost the captaincy and his place in the side, earning his place back in the 22 through hard work and domestic form, and not complaining when switched between the second and back rows, is an attitude now highly prevalent in many of the youngsters, not least in the current captain, Warburton. The acceptance of what is required, and the steel to not complain but to work and keep working, breaking targets and setting new ones, is something Ryan Jones epitomises, and his leadership should not be dismissed.

So the '10/'11 season began, and with the Ospreys lifting the Magners trophy, the Scarlets unearthing some seriously talented backs, such as George North, and the World Cup merely twelve months away, there was a mix of trepidation and anticipation in the Welsh air. The introducation of the ELVs had helped to banish the kind of negative rugby the iRB determined to be inimical to the spectacle of Rugby. South Africa's territorial kicking game had, along with their aging team and inept first team coach, seen them fall behind Antipodean competitors, with New Zealand taking the title in blistering form. More importantly, however, was the style of play which was proving to be so successful; a Super Rugby-esque abandon to throwing the ball about, with no ping pong, and devastating counter attacking. Games were high scoring: teams regularly scored 35+ points. Whether deemed to be basketball or not, it looked, for the Northern Hemisphere, to be in a league of its own.

The Autumn internationals arrived. Australia were first up, and a clash of styles was anticipated. Indeed, Wales butchered the Australian scrum; their sole try came after several scrum penalties five yards out, and appeared to be the only weakness in the Australian side. The Australian attacking was too intense and intelligent for Wales to deal with. Perhaps the only other heartening aspect of the game aside from the scrum was the defensive capabilities of the man who had replaced the deteriorating Martyn Williams, Sam Warburton. Unassumingly, he marked Pocock for the 65 minutes he was on the pitch, and though the Australian was a try scorer and had some success at the breakdown, it was a pleasing introduction for the youngster lining up against a man who had surpassed the great Richie McCaw the world's leading breakdown specialist. Wales lost, 16-25. South Africa came next and a teenage, 6'4 George North was promoted to the first team as a direct replacement for the diminutive, though previously exciting, Will Harries. This promotion of an exciting, but regionally inexperienced, player would be repeated in Alex Cuthbert and Harry Robinson just over twelve months later. Having come agonisingly close twice in the last twelve months against the Boks, this seemed to be a real opportunity to beat a Southern Hemisphere team; perhaps the only realistic chance given the loss to Australia, Wales' form and the seemingly unrivaled ability of NZ. With the roof closed, Wales started well, sending George North over in a perfectly executed strike move, something which had been desperately absent in the Welsh arsenal. Upping the tempo once more, Shane utilised the mismatch, and James Hook scored. 17-9 at half time. Mistakes and indiscipline, again, allowed South Africa back into the game. The World Champions do not need asking twice and, aware they had been bested in the first half, struck early, and twice, to retake the lead. North got a second, and whilst there were encouraging signs that Wales were now on equal footing with at least one of the SANZAR nations, this was a game that really got away. Wales lost, 25-29, and this time, Gatland was 'gutted', as were most Welsh fans. Progress, it seemed, was being made, but not quickly enough to surpass the progress other teams were making. In a game that echoed Samoa two years ago, Welsh replacements failed to live up to the shirt, this time an Admiral Blue. They drew 16-16 with Fiji, but the insipid display was akin to a loss. The coaching staff lambasted several players, and declared several to have played their last game for Wales. Again, the lack of quality depth in Wales was exposed, with Biggar, Richie Rees, Huw Bennett, Deiniol Jones and Ian Gough putting in terrible performances, and brought about the end of international rugby caps for some. Ryan Jones' stock had fallen so far that, captaining the side again in the absence of Matthew Rees, it did not help that it was he who gave the penalty away in the dying minutes for Fiji to tie the game. One positive, however, was man of the match Dan Lydiate, seemingly the only player, along with Ryan Jones, willing and able to compete with the Fijian physicality. The young flanker, playing at openside, had only recently come back from a potential career ending injury, and his performance was encouragement where others' only brought despair. NZ concluded the series with a 25-37 victory. NZ were too good for Wales, and but for Carter's poor goal kicking, could have pulled away and ended the match as a contest earlier. As it was, the theme of Wales not being able to compete for 80 minutes was continuing.

A disappointing series, then, from being outclassed by Australia and NZ, to throwing away a victory against SA, to the embarrassing performance against Fiji. Here is where things got difficult for Gatland. With only the 6N to go before the World Cup, he was seemingly losing control. In the past, his inflammatory remarks in the press had done him no favours. Now, after lambasting several players publicly in the wake of the Fiji game, he came in for criticism again. More importantly, however, was the apparent inflexibility, in selection and tactics. Mike Phillips was apparently undroppable, Stephen Jones was playing with poor ball, with little option outside him, and James Hook was being swapped from 12, 13 and 15. Other first team players were simply not challenged in their position, with Byrne, among others, having his Lions form and dearth of specialist talent in his position to thank for his starting place. This, along with Gatland and Edwards' tactics of a solid defensive game, playing in the same direction all the way along the line, however much space is left, and territory based on kicking meant naturally exciting, flair players were stagnating, under performing, and making the kind of mistakes that Gatland desired to be eradicated. His conservative nature saw Tom James, an utterly average, but big, player, brought onto the wing for the NZ game with Shane injured. James touched the ball once in an offensive position, midway inside his own half, trying a chip and chase that went straight to a black shirt.

All this was occurring at the same time as the Scarlets were playing wonderful, 'southern hemisphere' rugby with young, exciting rugby players, showcasing North, now promoted to the Welsh first team, along with the likes Morgan Stoddart, Jon Davies, Rhys Priestland and Tavis Knoyle. The Dragons, too, were playing great rugby of their own, and new cap Lydiate, along with Toby Faletau, Will Harries (prior to Australia game), Jason Tovey and Martyn Thomas, though the latter two would suffer with injury, gave the public the sense that there was a fracture between regions and national side.

The Six Nations '11 began with optimism, talk of starting anew, Gatland accepting mistakes had been made, and declaring a new, exciting, attacking mentality. James Hook's flair was deemed essential, so he took the full back berth. There was a sense of the new to the team, with the much missed Jamie Roberts back in the team, along with form players Stoddart and Jon Davies. Adam Jones, missing through injury, revealed the lack of depth at tight head, though Craig Mitchell performed adequately against a large English pack. In an attritional game, however, even home advantage and the many thousand Welsh fans could not breach the gap between the two teams. England won the stop-start, grueling contest 19-26, and deservedly so. Wales were taught something of a lesson in Test match rugby, with Jonny Wilkinson and Chris Ashton punishing Welsh mistakes. The next two games produced victories, a dire match at Murrayfield by a decent margin of 6-24 thanks to Shane's two tries, and in Rome by 16-24. The two victories were limited in style, with sparse moments of flair, often involving Shane, resulting in tries. Was it the beginning of the kind of clinical rugby, devoid of mistakes, Gatland aspired to instil? Two away victories were followed by a very poor Test match against Ireland, won through a mistake by the referee after Rees took a quick lineout illegally. That Wales probably deserved to win was forgotten in the aftermath, but the way they retreated into themselves when they took the lead, not daring to get the 6-9 points that would finish a poor Irish team off, seemed cowardly. Ireland could, and perhaps should, have pinched it at the death. The final game, with Ireland battering England, left Wales with a mathematical chance of winning the title in Paris. This was possibly the worst performance of the Gatland regime, worse than the Fiji game a few months previously. An unfit Adam Jones was rushed back into the side at the expense of Mitchell, who had performed well in the veteran's absence. The mistakes were multitude, Hook was sin binned during a dreadful performance at 10, including a charge down for a try. The side lacked desire, composure and passion. One moment of inspiration, a 50 yard break from George North, stood out from what was beyond embarrassing for the rest of the 80. France barely turned up, and brushed Wales aside with a 29-9 victory. Another 4th place finish greeted Wales like an old friend.

As the last competitive rugby before the World Cup, it had ended in shambles. With four tests to decide the side on, it all seemed to be falling apart for Gatland. Shaun Edwards had been involved in a fight with another member of staff, apparently over a trivial matter, and it was announced his contract would not be renewed after the World Cup. The coaching axis, it seemed, was disintegrating, and Gatland would presumably follow his former Wasps colleague after the tournament. With a group consisting of the World Champions South Africa, Fiji, who they had drawn with in the Autumn, and Samoa, along with Namibia, a highly physical examination lay in wait for Wales. With apparent lack of depth, and inevitable injury at the hands of these physically powerful nations, the aim of getting out of the group seemed a difficult one. Gatland's rigidity in selection had seen Phillips persisted with in spite of his abysmal performances. He had been dropped by the Ospreys in favour of youngster Rhys Webb. Gatland ignored the in form Richie Rees and Tavis Knoyle, the former for past performances, the latter only seeing the tail end of Test matches, in favour of the Lions 9. In many ways, this one selection epitomised Gatland's almost blind will. He had failed to find a settled side, with the team as much up for debate as ever. Stephen Jones was effective but, with slow ball from Phillips, and a mid range boot, he was contributing to an ineffective side. Hook provided no better alternative, though. His potential the get through a gap was tempered by inconsistency and Gatland shuffling him along the backline. The second rows were not living up to their size or stature, Ryan Jones had improved immeasurably in the '10/'11 season, but was no longer a dynamic, crashing carrier of the ball, Martyn Williams had failed to last the last leg that Gatland had asked of him, and the replacements, such as Yapp, Peel, Jon Thomas, were simply not good enough. The difference between this season and the one prior to it, then, was an aging Shane, no longer able to break the length of the field and either win it for Wales, or give them a shred of hope. The World Cup was an intimidating spectre on the horizon, and one I assumed would end in the same ignominious manner as '07.