by This is the end of an error. If the news of the ax of Warren Gatland was a surprise in terms of calendar, then the conclusion that the position of the head coach of Wales was untenable was that which many had reached well before the Welsh Rugby Union (Wru ) does not delay two rounds in the six nations in the six nations.
Because it was two years of conflicts and difficulties of which Welsh rugby has never really known. Since the return of Gatland for a second passage in charge of the national male team in December 2022, the WRU has gone from calamity to calamity and revision to revise, never seeming to escape the perma-crisis that swallowed The national game. Despite an announcement in the middle of the tournament, this is not an instinctive decision.
First of all, there was the threat of six nations, then repeated allegations of a toxic and sexist culture in the Union. In recent times, the increasingly mediocre performance has been combined with confusing internal and external communication, in particular a professional structure which seems unfit to provide the flow of the players necessary to compete internationally. Gatland has repeatedly stressed that the success of the national team he took to Grands Hights during his first mandate in Cardiff has on paper on the cracks – since his return, Wales has fallen several times in The crevasses extended now obvious for everyone.
Gatland is clearly a symptom and not the cause of the decline of his team, but that does not mean that his treatment is unfair. The questions will always be, naturally, asked a head coach who supervises 14 successively defeats – Gatland did not answer those who are particularly well posed. His selections were sometimes confusing: Ben Thomas, a promising interior center, was responsible for playing half the fly in this campaign while an experienced 10 at Gareth Anscombe turns his thumbs. Players of real promise like Cameron Winnett and Max Llewellyn were put aside even in a youth movement executed with a promise of future success.
The future is not from Gatland to see. A certain degree of sympathy must be felt, given the hand he was treated, but the coach played his cards badly. While Covid made the circumstances of each difficult work, few people who watched Gatland’s stays with the Chiefs in New Zealand and the British and Irish lions after leaving Wales would have been convinced that it was a Avant-garde coach with ideas to take a limited track player again to new heights. A race in the quarterfinals of the World Cup turned out to be a last Hourra, but even it was little more than a performance.
It is suggested that Gatland had lost the locker room; Some claim that he never had it. Admittedly, the stories of the treatment of Sam Parry, Rhys Carre and others suggest so much, while the former players did not rush to the defense of their former head coach. Initially prevented from hiring Rob Howley as a WRU attack coach after his Paris ban, Gatland first put a close colleague in an adjacent role before moving Alex King entirely before this six -nations campaign. Two lamentable attacking performances followed.
Given all of this, this conclusion seemed inevitable, but the manufacture of the WRU disorder continues. It is worth asking who, precisely, made this decision. The director of Rugby Nigel Walker resigned in December after admitting “serious failures” in his management of the female markets process; Its replacement and a high performance additional panel must still be confirmed. This leaves only CEO Abi Tierney – who admitted that she was not a rugby expert. In the coach’s introduction press conference by coach Matt Sherratt, she revealed that the search for a DOR was underway, although an appointment is not close.
Two months ago and two games ago, it was Tierney who said it after a post-self-review review: “We analyzed to see, in simple terms, if the change of the coach at this moment would do A positive or negative difference. He suggested that it would not make a positive difference to change the coach. In fact, what would make a difference is if we support Gatland to run it. »What has precisely changed? After a dark defeat against Italy at the end of the six nations of last year, Gatland offered his resignation; Does Tierney want to have accepted? At least she insists and claims that the decline is 20/20, but you wonder what she thinks in private.
There will be a part of the Kiwi coach to be happy to be out of a system that even admitted to him is broken. Gatland gave so many things to Wales, especially in his first visit. Ironically, his experience and knowledge would make him an excellent candidate for a director of Rugby Role. He leaves with the dichotomous distinction of perhaps the best and the worst head coach in the country.
A cool voice at the helm can be beneficial for a team which, while lacking pedigree in certain regions, has many promising pieces. Sherratt, the well appreciated Cardiff coach, assumes the role in the interval for the rest of the six nations and spoke of changing the players’ state of mind during his unveiling. He also categorically got out of the race for permanent work, with a quick return to Cardiff on the cards as soon as the Six Nations is finished.
Beyond that, harvesting suitors for permanent employment may depend on who is willing to take it, the WRU wishing to make an appointment before the two tests from Japan in July. Not all the best coaches will be. “Without lacking humility, I would prefer Ireland, England or France,” said Ronan O’Gara when he was registered on the potential vacancy of Wales after La Rochelle beat Bath during The Investc Champions Cup in December.
Michael Cheika would be in favor of a return to Australia after leaving Leicester and was linked to race 92 in Paris, although his situation could change. Simon Easterby’s links with the Scarlets and Welsh rugby would make him a natural target more broadly, providing a taste of a head coach to help him leave an Irish configuration that adapted him well. Franco Smith has done exceptional work in the transformation of Glasgow into winners of the UNI rugby championship and has an international experience before – if not distinguished – with Italy.
There will be some who wonder what difference will make a new head coach. Friday, a new financial agreement with the four regions was announced in principle which should allow them to become more competitive entities, but the details of the agreement are somewhat clear. Important problems with talent tracks and players’ retention are not easily resolved. Some people have suggested that if a large coach like Gatland cannot succeed in this Welsh team, no one can.
This can be true over time, but something clearly had to change. There was a certain stain in Cardiff in the fall, the city without the usual energy of the day which makes the principality stadium a special place to visit. Gatland may be just a fall guy for wider Gallic failures, but it is now time for new ideas, a new perspective and a new hope.
