Warren Gatland has warned that folks ought to write Wales off at their peril on this season’s Guinness Six Nations, regardless of the staff being on a document dropping streak.
The shape information suggests one other tough marketing campaign for Wales after gathering the picket spoon final season for the primary time since 2003, with Gatland’s aspect on a run of 12 successive Take a look at defeats and with no win since beating World Cup pool opponents Georgia 15 months in the past.
Head coach Gatland has been capable of reinforce his squad with returning gamers like Liam Williams, Josh Adams and Taulupe Faletau – who’ve 255 caps between them – though he misplaced Autumn Nations Sequence captain Dewi Lake to damage.
Gatland’s Wales staff misplaced each Take a look at match they performed in 2024
Mason Grady, Sam Costelow, Ryan Elias, Archie Griffin and Adam Beard are additionally sidelined forward of a ferociously-tough opener towards France in Paris on January 31, with 17 gamers in Gatland’s 34-strong squad having made lower than 10 Take a look at appearances.
“For us, the challenge was that after the World Cup we lost 18 players and so much experience,” stated Gatland, talking on the Six Nations media launch in Rome. “You choose children, and it takes somewhat little bit of time. A few of the children, seeing them develop goes to be an actual optimistic.
“We’re in a pleasant place as a result of there isn’t any expectation. Individuals are writing us off. And I stated the identical factor earlier than the World Cup (Wales had been quarter-finalists). Lots of people had been saying that we would not even get out of our group.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
England males’s head coach Steve Borthwick explains why he determined to nominate Maro Itoje as captain, changing Saracens team-mate Jamie George
“The message that time was you write us off at your peril, and things haven’t changed there. This is such a tough tournament to win. It is so hard. When you look back and you have won a Six Nations or a Grand Slam, there will be a couple of decisions that have gone your way, the bounce of the ball or you’ve had some luck in the tournament.”
Wales are an 80/1 probability with some bookmakers for the title and it is going to be a substantial achievement in the event that they threaten a top-three end, a far cry from when Gatland loved Grand Slam successes in his stint as Wales boss.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Eire interim head coach Simon Easterby is trying ahead to the Six Nations match between England and Eire in Dublin
“It is the strongest that I’ve ever seen the Six Nations in terms of the quality of players and the quality of the teams,” Gatland added. “I can remember going back a long time when everyone would just be talking about France and England at the beginning of a Five Nations or a Six Nations tournament and who was going to win out of them.
“The others had been form of attempting to combat for the scraps. Individuals are writing us off, and I stated it earlier than the World Cup as nicely, you write us off at your peril. We’ve got simply received to create some confidence and self-belief inside our group, and virtually like a siege mentality when it comes to going to Paris.”
Townsend: Scotland can compete despite key injuries
Gregor Townsend insists Scotland have the depth to overcome the devastating loss of Sione Tuipulotu to injury for the entire Guinness Six Nations.
Sione Tuipulotu will miss the Guinness Six Nations by way of damage
Tuipulotu, Scotland’s captain and star centre, should endure surgical procedure to restore a pectoral muscle that was broken in coaching with Glasgow Warriors final week and isn’t anticipated to return till later within the season.
Stafford McDowall is the main contender to be paired alongside Huw Jones, however Rory Hutchinson and Tom Jordan are additionally choices.
“It’s a real blow for Sione so close to the tournament and it’s a blow to the tournament and our supporters that they don’t get to see him playing,” Townsend stated. “However as a staff you need to settle for that accidents occur and that is why you create depth over an extended interval.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is optimistic forward of the Six Nations and says his aspect might be ‘very aggressive’
“We have some really good 12s in our squad that now have an opportunity they probably didn’t think was coming along. We’re backing them to go and grab that opportunity.”
Tuipulotu’s absence sees Rory Darge and Finn Russell take over as co-captains – roles they carried out in final 12 months’s Six Nations till the Australian-born 27-year-old was put in as skipper for the autumn.
First-choice second-row Scott Cummings may be sidelined for the entire competitors due to a fractured arm, whereas hooker Dylan Richardson has been dominated out with a shoulder damage.
Watch each recreation of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia this summer time, together with all three Take a look at matches towards the Wallabies, completely dwell on Sky Sports activities. Not received Sky? Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
