Warren Gatland, head coach of Wales. Pic: Getty Images.

Warren Gatland Still Pointing Towards Distant Future For Wales

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By David Williams

Warren Gatland left Dublin banging the same drum he had struck after defeat to England – that this Wales team will have its day.

The question for Wales supporters is how long in coming will that be?

Gatland is convinced Wales are on course to become “an excellent team” despite a third successive defeat in another gloomy Guinness Six Nations campaign.

The coach’s inexperienced side are battling to avoid the ignominy of the wooden spoon following Saturday’s 31-7 loss to title favourites Ireland.

Defeat in Dublin followed narrow losses to Scotland and England in this year’s tournament and was a 10th in 11 championship matches overall.

Gatland has now been in charge for 14 months in his second spell at the helm and has overseen 16 Tests, of which six have been won.

He talks a good deal about the future and less about results in the present, but few fans view the Six Nations as a development tournament between World Cups.

The New Zealander, though – whose team host France in round four before Italy visit Cardiff on the final weekend – remains upbeat and offered an example from his playing days to demonstrate how fortunes can improve.

“I look back on my own career as a player, playing for Waikato against Auckland after the 1987 World Cup,” he said.

“They had a number of All Blacks and they probably put 40 points on us.

“We were starting to become a good team and coming off that experience, I wanted to play them next week.

“Because that’s what I learned from as a player and hopefully these guys are getting the same experience from that.

“A couple of years later, we ended up turning the tables on them.

“I have no doubt where we’re going, this team is going to be an excellent team going forward, when we get some more experience.”

Wales registered a third scoreless half in as many games as tries from Dan Sheehan and James Lowe helped the Grand Slam-chasing hosts lead 17-0 at the break.

A positive response brought a penalty try early in the second period but the visitors failed to capitalise on further chances in Ireland’s 22 before scores from Ciaran Frawley and Tadhg Beirne killed off the contest.

More than a third of Wales’ match-day 23 arrived at the Aviva Stadium with cap totals in single figures, and Gatland is keen to keep things in perspective.

“I think that we’ve said all along that it’s about the development of this team and learning,” said the 60-year-old, who returned for a second spell in charge ahead of last year’s Six Nations.

“They’ve played against one of the best teams in the world.

“Eight or nine of their team are over 30 and have been around for a while.

“It’s just making sure we keep working hard, doing what we’re doing and looking forward to the next game.

“It’s all about talking to players individually about how they found it out there, what did they learn from it, how they’ll be better next time as an individual.”

Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins hopes to help his country reach the same level as reigning champions Ireland.

“That’s where we want to be as a team,” said the 21-year-old Exeter lock, who is 13 years younger than Irish skipper Peter O’Mahony.

“Personally, I’ve seen where I want to get to as a player. I’m sure the rest of the team has as well.

“We’re going to push and work hard every day to make sure we get to that level.”

Wales forced Ireland to dig deep to extend their winning streak to equal England’s record of 11 in a row at the Aviva Stadium.

It was another monumental effort form the men in red as they put in 190 tackles as they thwarted the Irish attack for lengthy periods.

Ireland dominated the first half from a territorial point of view and in terms of possession.

They found the Welsh defence tough to break down and once again Dafydd Jenkins’ men put their bodies on the line in determined fashion.

Jack Crowley got the scoreboard moving in the seventh minute with a penalty and then the new Irish outside half converted two home tries before the break.

Wales struggled to get out of their half for the majority of the opening 40 minutes and had to rely on their dogged defence to stay in the game.

The dam finally burst in the 21st minute when hooker Dan Sheehan converted a driving line-out to notch his side’s first try.

That came despite Wales troubling the reigning Grand Slam champions at the line-out.

Home skipper Peter O’Mahony, playing his 50th game in the Championship, missed it at the tail.

That was the first line-out Ireland had lost in three games and 27 line-outs in this Six Nations.

The second try also had its origins in a close-range line out after Wales had conceded a free kick at a scrum and then a penalty that allowed Crowley to kick deep into the left corner.

The line out drive was held up, but James Lowe eventually crossed in the left corner after some good handling down the back line.

That made it 17-0 with eight minutes left to play to the break and Wales finally managed to make a meaningful incursion into the home 22 for the first time in that period.

Twice they had five metre line outs but they were unable to turn them into points.

Just as in the game against Scotland, when they changed ends 20 points in arrears after being kept scoreless in the first half, Wales increased the intensity in the second half. Ireland conceded two yellow cards as they found themselves under real pressure – Tadhg Beine and James Ryan – and two minutes after the re-start it was a Welsh driving line out that yielded a score.

Beirne was caught changing his bind as the drive came on and after Wales carried the ball over the line, with Alex Mann seeking his third try in as many international appearances the man who was denied a score.

However, after consulting with his touch judge and the TMO, Italian referee Andrea Piardi awarded a penalty try and sent Beirne to the sin-bin. That boosted Welsh morale and they turned the second half into a real dog-fight.

Bundee Aki touched down at the posts, but had his try ruled out for a knock-on earlier in the move, but in the 67th minute full back Ciaran Frawley picked off a superb pass from Jamison Gibson-Park to score at the posts.

Crawley once again added the extras and last 13 minutes were all about the Irish chasing the bonus-point score.

Wales were held up on the Irish line just after Ryan had picked up his yellow card and in the 81st minute Beirne found a hole in the Welsh defence to score the vital fourth try, which Crawley improved to bring the game to an end.

 

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