Size Of the Challenge Becoming Clear For Wales Boss Warren Gatland

After a disappointing run of results, Wayne Pivac’s tenure as Wales head coach was brought to an abrupt end and Warren Gatland was brought back to try and steer the national side back in the right direction.

However, after defeats in their first two games of the 2023 Six Nations, Gatland will be fully aware of the challenge ahead of him as Wales build towards the World Cup later this year.

Wales Playing Catch-Up Ahead Of World Cup

The hierarchy at the Principality Stadium made a big call in deciding to change the head coach less than a year out from the 2023 World Cup in France. After winning the Six Nations in 2021, Wales were considered one of the main challengers from the northern hemisphere to compete for the 2023 World Cup. However, after a dip in results last year, Wales are 25/1 in the betting with Betway to lift the Webb Ellis Cup this year. A home defeat in their last game of the 2022 Six Nations to Italy and a shock loss in Cardiff in the autumn to Georgia meant Gatland was brought back to the hot seat. With little time to prepare his squad for the Six Nations this season, it was always going to be tough to make a strong start to the championship.

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Warren Gatland and Ken Owens FULL post-match press conference | Scotland 35-7 Wales | Six Nations”

It does not get much harder than a clash with Ireland at present and Andy Farrell’s number-one-ranked side produced an outstanding first-half display on their way to a 34-10 win in Cardiff, as reported by the BBC. Wales looked disjointed in the opening stages and the game was taken away from them within the first half hour of the contest. A better second-half performance will have given Gatland something to work on but Wales needed to go up the gears if they were to get a result against Scotland in their second game of the championship at Murrayfield.

Wales again were playing catch-up in Edinburgh but a try from skipper Ken Owens in the first half meant they were only 13-7 down at half-time. Rio Dyer also had an opportunity just before the break but Dan Biggar’s pass could not find the Dragons’ winger. The report from ESPN shows Scotland ran away with the game in the second half and, with fly-half Finn Russell pulling the strings, went on to secure a 35-7 victory at Murrayfield. A record-margin defeat to the Scots following the defeat to Ireland has meant Wales’ faint Six Nations title hopes were dashed within the space of a week.

Positives To Look To For Gatland

While the Six Nations title might have passed Wales by, there are still positives Gatland can build on as the squad look to make progress ahead of the World Cup in France. Wales, which has a proud rugby history covered by the West Wales Chronicle, created opportunities in both the games against the Irish in Cardiff and the Scots but failed to execute against fearsome defences. The longer Gatland and his coaching team have to work with the side, the sharper they should be in attack and those opportunities will turn into points more often.

Wales’ work without the ball will be more of a concern for Gatland, who appears to be missing his former defence coach Shaun Edwards. The pair worked wonders together during Gatland’s first spell in charge of the national side but Edwards now finds himself across the Channel working with France. Conceding 69 points in the first two games of the championship is far below the standards Wales have set in the past. When the Welsh last won the title back in 2021, which was covered by the West Wales Chronicle, Gatland’s side only conceded 103 points through the five games of the competition. Again it will take time to sort Wales’ defensive organisation but should that improve, the side will find themselves competing for wins once again.

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Gregor Townsend speaking after Scotland 39’s impressive win over Wales

What will have pleased Gatland over the first two games are the players who have stepped up to the rigours of Test rugby for Wales. The step up from playing at stadiums like Parc y Scarlets, rated as one of the best in the country according to the West Wales Chronicle, to the Prinicipality is a big one. However, the likes of Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza and Tommy Reffell all started against the Scots and did not look out of place on the international stage. That bodes well for the future, especially with the likes of Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric approaching the end of their playing careers.

A lack of confidence seems to be the problem for Wales and only improved performances and winning Test matches can resolve that issue. This Six Nations could be a tough one for the national side but the learning experience should serve them well for the main event of the year at the 2023 World Cup.