Warren Gatland believes Wales success papered over cracks in domestic game
Warren Gatland says he is “not 100% convinced” that Welsh regional rugby will undergo the proper reset he feels it requires.
Wales face Six Nations title ­favourites Ireland in Dublin on Saturday and the contrast between two longstanding rivals could hardly be greater. On the field, Ireland have lost just two of their last 40 home Tests, while victory over Wales would see them equal England’s record of 11 successive Six Nations wins. Wales, meanwhile, have lost nine of their past 10 Six Nations fixtures, and off the field it is a similar case of chalk and cheese.
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Ireland are thriving from a system of centrally contracted players that underpins vibrant, successful provincial teams, while Wales’ four professional regions are each preparing for significant budget cuts that will take effect from next season. Asked to assess the key difference between Irish and Welsh rugby, Gatland said: “I think they [Ireland] have just got the right structures in place.
“Probably, if I look at the ­previous time I was here [between 2007 and 2019], we were kind of papering over the cracks of the things that were happening in Welsh rugby. We have got an opportunity for a reset, which unfortunately I am not 100% convinced we will have a proper reset within our regions.
“It has probably felt sometimes like you are in a sinking ship and you are trying to plug the holes a ­little bit. So there is still lots of work for us to do. It took a long time [in Ireland], but that has benefited from the ­performances of their provincial teams, which has transferred into their international team.
“We were probably the other way around. We were the reverse. Right now, we are probably reflective of where our regions are. We have got to look at closing that gap.”
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Wales XV to face Ireland
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Gatland believes having the correct infrastructure at Wales’ four professional regions – Cardiff, Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons – is crucial.
“I continue to speak about infrastructure, getting the right infrastructure, the right environment, the right S&C [strength and conditioning] coaches, medical staff, quality coaches, training facilities, grounds and stuff,” he added. “Forget about the players. Get that [infrastructure] right, and then you start building your squad.
“My advice to all the regions is don’t worry about players. If it means picking young players to your squad, make sure you spend the money on your facilities, make sure you spend the money on the right people within your environment.”
Warren Gatland says his team should be excited to test themselves against opponents of Ireland’s calibre. Photograph: Gareth Everett/Huw Evans/Shutterstock
On Saturday’s Aviva Stadium encounter, Gatland said: “There has been a lot said about us being underdogs, but that is not a motivation for us. The motivation is the pressure we are putting on ourselves to get better from game one and two. We have spoken all week about having no fear to go there. It is going to be a huge challenge for us, but you have got to embrace that, you have got to be excited about that.”
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Ciarán Frawley will make his first Test start for Irelandafter being selected in place of injured full-back Hugo Keenan. The versatile 26-year-old won his two previous caps as a replacement, including playing the final four minutes of the ­championship curtain-raiser away to France.
Keenan has been virtually ever-present in his country’s number 15 jersey during the past three years but will miss the match against Wales to a knee injury suffered in the round-two victory over Italy.
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Ireland XV to face Wales
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Ireland’s head coach, Andy ­Farrell, who has included uncapped Munster prop Oli Jager among the ­replacements, has made seven personnel changes to his starting XV from the 36-0 win over Italy on 11 February. Captain Peter O’Mahony, prop Tadhg Furlong and centre Bundee Aki return after injuries, while lock Tadhg Beirne, scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and flanker Josh van der Flier are also recalled.
Second-row James Ryan, flanker Ryan Baird, No 8 Jack Conan and centre Stuart McCloskey drop to a bench containing a six-two split of forwards and backs. Prop Finlay Bealham and scrum-half Craig Casey have been left out of the matchday 23 after starting against Italy. Lock Iain Henderson, who suffered a foot injury playing for Ulster, is not involved, while centre Garry Ringrose remains absent after missing the opening two rounds with a shoulder issue.