Gatland gunning for Boks
Bring on the world champions! That was the message from Wales coach Warren Gatland after watching his side clinch an historic Grand Slam triumph at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Bring on the world champions! That was the message from Wales coach Warren Gatland after watching his side clinch an historic Grand Slam triumph at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Barely five months ago Welsh rugby was in a state of disarray following a miserable World Cup campaign, which ended with a defeat to Fiji and saw Wales drop to tenth in the world rankings.
But victory over France consigned all that to history as Wales were crowned kings of Europe for a tenth time, 100 years after their first clean sweep.
The next stop is South Africa this summer and Gatland is confident Wales can match the Springboks following Saturday's incredible scenes in Cardiff.
“It is the next step for us, testing ourselves against the world champions,” said Gatland.
“We will not rest on our laurels. It has been a great start for us as coaches but we need to keep improving. If we sit back we will get caught.
“To win over there at altitude is tough. The guys have delivered on the principles we have had in putting our bodies on the line, putting pride back in the jersey and it is about carrying that forward.
“We go to South Africa with no trepidation, saying 'let's have a crack'.”
Wales's path from zeroes to heroes began in the hours immediately after that defeat to Fiji in Nantes, when the Welsh Rugby Union sacked Gareth Jenkins and set their sights on hiring Warren Gatland.
On Sunday, the New Zealander is being feted as a miracle worker. Certainly his impact, along with those of his assistant coaches Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley, was immediate.
Wales launched their campaign with a first victory at Twickenham in 20 years, sealed the Triple Crown in Dublin and the Grand Slam against France with a huge performance of courage and guts.
Shane Williams once again provided the decisive moment with his sixth try of an incredible tournament – equalling Will Greenwood's record – to push Wales clear after an attritional first 60 minutes.
Stephen Jones came off the bench to kick 10 points, on top of nine from James Hook, and Martyn Williams capped a magnificent individual performance with a late try.
The victory over France – and the championship triumph as a whole – was built on an extraordinary, heroic defensive display.
Wales made 128 tackles on Saturday as France enjoyed 70 per cent of possession – but once again they kept their tryline intact.
Marshalled by defensive captains Martyn Williams and Gavin Henson, Wales only conceded twice during the tournament, breaking the previous record of four set by England's World Cup winners in 2002 and 2003.
That was partly down to the blitz system employed by Gatland and Edwards but also a change in attitude that has been instilled in the squad.
Although Gatland never dreamed of winning a Grand Slam at his first attempt he is not surprised by the success they have enjoyed this season.
“Being selfish for a moment, one of the reasons I took the job was that Wales were 10th in the world and had a pretty average WC. There isn't too far to go below 10th in the world,” Gatland reflected.
“I saw the potential within the squad and the ability within the squad. You have always got to believe in your own ability that you can put the structures in place.
“I have kept a strong Welsh influence within the coaching staff which is really important but I have also people around me who I know well. Their work ethic and desire to succeed is as important as my influence.”
While the nation enjoys the moment – even Edwards declared lent had been suspended so he could enjoy a celebratory pint of champagne – Gatland is aware of the pitfalls Wales suffered following the 2005 Grand Slam.
In the two years between titles, Wales won just two Six Nations games and bombed out of the World Cup in the group stages.
“You are never going to stay at that peak. Our challenge now as coaches and players is to build some consistency on this season so we don't have the highs and the lows that Wales experienced since 2005,” said Gatland.
“The work is just starting now. I wasn't trying to give myself a couple of years of job security when I said it, but I do believe this team is 12 months or two years away from their best.
“It is the stuff I can't actually do as a coach that players need to learn from – closing out games, being on the field, playing against the best teams in the world and how to learn from those experiences.”
Edwards, the Wasps head coach, is seen as the man England let go and Wales are aware that Twickenham, or any other ambitious union, could make an approach at any point.
But Gatland and WRU chief executive Roger Lewis both believe Edwards's sense of loyalty holds more weight than any contract would.
And following a successful first campaign together, they would like to extend Edwards' involvement to include the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
“Losing Shaun to England is not something I have worried about,” Gatland said.
“I suppose they have enough money to make that call – but why would Shaun want to leave what he has got at the moment, the set-up and the people he is working with to go to England?
“You have to trust and believe in the people you are working with. That is a big part of it.
“Anyone who knows Shaun, that is a big part of what drives him to succeed. It is not just about winning but it's also about the people he works with who he respects and trusts.
“That is why our relationship has been so strong.”
Lewis is skeptical about the value of contracts in professional sport – Eddie O'Sullivan appears to be on the brink of losing his job as Ireland coach only months after signing a four-year deal – and is determined to be as flexible as possible to thrash out a deal which continues to suit Wales, Wasps and Edwards.
“We have an arrangement in place with Shaun until 2010 and we are looking at what happens after that,” Lewis said.
“Warren and Shaun have a very good relationship and there is a huge deal of loyalty and trust between those two guys.
“We said from day one we would work for the best interests of Shaun and the Welsh Rugby Union. We have always been very relaxed over that.
“The agreement is based on a very special personal relationship between Warren and Shaun.
“We have been incredibly flexible with these guys. Wasps said in December time that Shaun wasn't available and if we made an approach they would attack us for breach of contract.
“We have always been working with Warren and with Ian McGeechan to make something work. And it really has worked. It has worked for Wasps and it has worked for us.”
Gatland and Edwards first worked together at Wasps, where they won three Guinness Premiership titles and the Heineken Cup.
Their next coaching appointment could quite conceivably be with the Lions for the 2009 tour of South Africa.
Edwards has long harboured ambitions of being involved next year – it was a main reason for taking