Warren Gatland’s simple message that spurred a shift in form Wales star

After being left out of the Test squad in 2022, Aaron Wainwright became a regular starter for Warren Gatland’s Wales squad during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The versatile back-rower started all but one of Wales’ World Cup matches under Gatland and featured at number eight in the clash against the Barbarians last month.

This after he was omitted from the Wales squad for the 2022 November internationals, and the forward credits the upswing of form to a simple message from Gatland.

“I don’t think many people would have seen me having a chance of going to the World Cup a year ago, myself included, definitely not,” he admits.

“Some of the messages from the coaching staff at the time were probably a little bit mixed in terms of what they wanted from me.”

The change under Gatland

However, that all changed for Wainwright when Gatland returned and he was called into the squad for the Six Nations.

“He sat us down as a group and said the reason you are here is because of what you are good at, so just keep focusing on those things,” he reveals.

“That really resonated with me and gave me a spur of motivation.”

By the time the World Cup rolled around, he was a starter for the side in what was his second tournament appearance, having earned a spot in Gatland’s 2019 squad that finished fourth in Japan four years prior.

“I definitely managed to take it in and savour it a bit more this time, the off the pitch stuff and just embracing being around such a great group of people,” he said.

“It was amazing to share all those memories together.

“I was still taking the rugby side of it incredibly seriously, but also really enjoying the days off and making sure I was making the most of where I was and what French city we were in.

“Experiencing that and having friends and family come out and being able to go to different places and explore those a little bit was great.”

This time around, however, Wales failed to reach the semi-finals after falling to a defeat to Argentina in the quarters. Wainwright admits that there is a mixture of “fond memories and frustration” when looking back at the tournament.

“When we came back in for the Barbarians week, the message and the chat was still there about how we missed a chance to get to a semi-final of a World Cup,” he explained.

“I am still pondering on it, what could I have done differently or better in the game to change the outcome. It’s definitely one I look back on and think we missed a chance there.”

Rugby mad

There is an unstinting passion for the game with Wainwright, as the 26-year-old explained what he does when he isn’t playing rugby.

“I coach down at my local club [Whitehead RFC in Newport],” replies the Dragons back row star.

“I go down there on a Tuesday and a Thursday whenever I can.”

It was at Whitehead RFC that his love for the game blossomed after Cardiff City released the former footballer.

“I had a few friends from school who came through youth rugby with me and they went on to play seniors then,” he said.

“So it’s quite nice as a way to go and spend time with them, trying to help them and coach them a little bit. It’s nice just to be involved. There’s loads of rugby chat and banter going on, so it’s good.

“I’ve done my Level 1 and 2 coaching, and I’ll look to do my Level 3 over the next year or so and see where that takes me.”

Upon his arrival back at the club, he received a hero’s welcome but jokes that there might have been another reason for the big turn-out.

“They had organised to clap me in. I definitely wasn’t expecting it,” he reveals.

“It was such a great welcome home. That just sums up the club and how close everyone is there. It’s such a family-orientated club, and it was very touching to have that sort of welcome coming home.

He added: “I had a load of kit from the World Cup, I had put a message in the group chat saying I was bringing some kit bags down with me if anyone wanted to come along.

“The coaches said they had a load of new people turn up just to try and get some kit!”

Boxing Day derby and Test ambitions

After a win over Oyonnax, where Wainwright was named man of the match, the Dragons fell narrowly short of a French double in the Challenge Cup, going down 24-21 to Pau.

Focusing now shifts back to the URC where a mouth-watering Boxing Day derby against Cardiff Rugby waits.

“The belief and the confidence in how we are playing is there,” says Wainwright.

“It’s just transferring it onto the pitch and doing it for the full 80 minutes.”

In terms of his international ambitions, he says: “I’ll keep trying to secure my place in the starting team for Wales.

“I will hopefully get picked for the Six Nations and just keep going on little stepping stones forward.”

As for his positional prospects, he adds: “I think if I am in a squad where Taulupe Faletau is fit, he plays 8.

“I don’t think there’s any question about that whatsoever. He is a world-class No 8, so there are no arguments from me.

“I have accepted if he is fit and firing that, I am going to be playing 6, and it’s just about me doing that role as well as I can and adding to the team.

“Back at the Dragons, I am focused on playing 8. I definitely prefer playing there, and I think that’s when I can add more. I am more involved in games and I get my hands on the ball a lot more.”

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