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The good news for Warren Gatland was that his name of the Six Nations team was nothing as frantic or agitated as the unveiling of last year. Then, as you may remember, the head coach of Wales emerged to face the press always sprinkling the debris after the landing of a bomb, the news of the Boulon of Louis Rees-Zammit for the NFL reaching Gatland for a few minutes before freeing a selection in which the wing was to be included.
It was a moment that set the tone for a disastrous and damaging year for Welsh rugby, which included the failure from top to bottom. In governance and performance, Wales separated from others in their insufficiency – which goes into account the current waste through the Severn. A series of 12 consecutive defeats in tests has not led to the dismissal of Gatland, perhaps partly because of the pure scale of problems elsewhere – a new paint stroke will not considerably improve a house with structural problems important.
It would have been perfectly just for Gatland to suppose that after his Annus HorriberThings can only improve. Alas, it is Welsh rugby. It may be missing the drama and audacity of the departure of Rees-Zammit, but the news of the broken collarbone of Half Half Costelow was an equally painful blow which landed shortly before its festival of six 2025 be named. Also consider the injuries of the captain and the star interpreter Dewi Lake, Lineout Linchpin Adam Beard and the Polyon Mason Grady – Suffering continues.
Costelow’s injury rather takes the shine on a team that looks better balanced than Callow units named at times last year. Gatland had asked for patience in the middle of the fate while he was trying to hand over a new sheet, passing what he considered a more promising harvest, prepared to accept short -term pain in exchange for a long -term gain .
With Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Josh Adams all of things in a team of 34 men, the situation seems rather better. It is not only on the ground where three tests of British and Irish lions will strengthen the ranks, but also for a team that lacks confidence and calm during the 2024 chaos.
However, even with returnees, there is an element of reflection confused to the selection of Gatland. Only a few months after being brought back to the side of Costelow to lead Wales across the fall, Gareth Anscombe is now fully found on the image even after the misfortune of his game colleague. He leaves the options Like Ben Thomas, a natural interior center that filled the half -flue in Australia last year, and a man from ospréys not capped Dan Edwards, who is going well at the United Rugby Championship (URC) – No n ‘ made six appearance nations.
“We talked about 10 people being the position to develop a certain depth, short -term and long -term,” said Gatland about the omission of Anscombe. “”[It’s about] get some experience in the position.
“He is 33 years old now and he will be 36 years old by the next World Cup. Will he be there? We must develop a certain depth. Someone like [Dan Edwards] On the occasion of presenting a complaint. We were impressed by the way he checked the games. His kick game has improved. This is probably the first time in a while, we have dilemmas around the selection. “”
It is logical, perhaps, for Wales to continue to look to the future, but it low with the return of similar aging Faletau and Williams. Even Gatland admitted on Monday that his work could be untenable if the results do not improve; Why, then, would you not want Anscombe as a stable presence in such circumstances?
Taking its comments on a youth movement at its nominal value, it is just as special as Max Llewellyn and Cameron Winnett – which began fall outside of Anscombe at 13 and 15 respectively – are also left out despite A solid domestic shape. The injury of the lake, one of the few in the team that would currently claim a real candidacy of the Lions, requires a reminder to Sam Parry, who left the Welsh team before the tour in Australia last summer which felt out of respect. With a small player swimming pool, burned bridges should be rebuilt quickly.
At least Welsh men currently have a head coach – unlike their wives when they enter a World Cup year. The news of a reshuffle of Gatland’s staff seems to be on the way before a trip to Paris during the opening evening of the tournament. For a lack of power and punch, France is about as discouraging as the Wales Pays could have been given.
“We know that this is performance and results,” said the head coach. “These first two games are really important to us. This match in Paris will be difficult, so it’s the Italian match. Probably playing in France first is not a bad thing to do for us. They tend to take some time to go there in Six Nations.
“It is a question of momentum. You get good results and you never know what can happen in this tournament. I am quite aware of the situation in which we are as a group of coaches. We have to go out and work hard to show improvements and perform well. “”
Squad of six years of 34 years of Wales:
Advances: Elliott Dee, Sam Parry, Evan Lloyd; Nicky Smith, Kemsley Mathias, Gareth Thomas, Keiron Assiratti, Willgriff John, Henry Thomas; Dafydd Jenkins, Will Rowlands, Freddie Thomas, Christ Tshiunza, Teddy Williams; Jac Morgan (captain), James Botham, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.
Backs: Tomos Williams, Rhodri Williams, Ellis Bevan; Ben Thomas, Dan Edwards; Eddie James, Joe Roberts, Nick Tompkins, Owen Watkin; Liam Williams, Josh Adams, Josh Hathaway, Tom Rogers, Blair Murray, Ellis Mee.
