Soon after Wales lost their fourteenth game in succession, the rumours of a Welsh Rugby Union meeting to decide upon the future of the head coach began. In the end the decision was simply a formality and Gatland was swiftly out of the door. For the moment, a caretaker coach has been hired. Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt will take charge for the remaining Six Nations games as the WRU look for a permanent replacement.
As i mentioned before, this decision was simply a formality. Fourteen consecutive defeats is completely unacceptable and there was no sign of things being turned around. In fact, things only seemed to be getting worse. The selections were confusing, as was his vision for the team going forward. He claimed to be developing a young team but very few young players truly got the necessary chance to acclimatise to test rugby. It is also true that young players develop better when playing in a winning team and surrounded by experienced players. As with many of their problems, this isn't necessarily a problem of Gatland's own making but he is certainly not the solution. Wales may not have the players but the lack of any attacking structure and players being played out of position meant that this team had no chance of success.
So, what will be different with his replacement? Truth be told, Sherratt probably doesn't have enough time to conjure a miracle and guide this team to wins in the remaining games but things can surely only get better. Right? Sherratt being the head coach of Cardiff brings some rays of light for now. He coaches Ben Thomas and will know how good he is in his more natural position of inside centre which Sherratt picks him to play. Cardiff also play a more expansive brand of rugby which will suit this crop of players better than Gatland's system did. Unlike previous Wales teams this one is not capable of physically dominating their opposition so must find different ways to win. Sherratt can do that. At the very least, he will provide a clean slate for this team and hopefully release the shackles presumably holding the team back.
There are several possible candidates for the permanent position, presumably including Sherratt, but that doesn't matter in the immediate moment. A head coach cannot magically fix Welsh rugby. That is down to the WRU as a whole and I have to say it does not fill me with confidence. Abi TIerney, the head of the WRU, is a self-confessed non-rugby person and clearly hasn't made the best decisions. Warren Gatland was brought in for the 2023 World Cup and did well but should not have continued in the role. There are also other, broader questions for Welsh rugby. Whether it is funding for the regions, how many regions there should be or how much funding does grass roots rugby need? These issues have to be fixed before Wales can look to a brighter rugby future.
In short, removing Gatland is a good thing that should have been done 18 months ago. Welsh rugby should have had a reckoning two years ago when the players all threatened to go on strike before the England game. At the time it was thought to be the rock bottom; we are now seeing that things have since cratered further. The one positive is the regions doing better in the URC than expected but none are in a title race as would have been the case a decade ago. Surely the stark reality of things being bad both on and off the pitch simultaneously will drive an honest conversation that will lead to a brighter future for Welsh rugby. The sport is better when Wales are strong.
Add comment
Comments