After his team’s fifth defeat, this Saturday in Cardiff against Italy (21-24), synonymous with Wooden Spoon, the New Zealand coach of Wales, Warren Gatland, immediately submitted his resignation.
“I just told Abi Tierney (the president of the Welsh Rugby Federation, Editor’s note) in the locker room that, if she wanted me to resign, I would do so without any problem,” said the man who was coach of the Leek XV in 2022. .She told me that was the last thing she wanted. And that she was going to work on what was wrong. I have made the commitment to continue until the 2027 World Cup.”
If the quarter-final of the last World Cup had suggested a recovery, this 2024 Tournament confirmed the difficulties of the Welsh team forced to rebuild in the absence of many executives (the newly retired Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny, star winger Louis Rees-Zammit who left for the United States to try his hand at American football, Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau, injured). Wales have lost 12 of their last 13 matches in the Six Nations Tournament, including 7 at home.
If the “disappointment is total, I would tell the supporters to stay with us because I promise you that the future is promising,” said the young captain (21 years old), Dafydd Jenkins. A hope shared by his coach. “This rebuild is not more difficult than we thought. We knew the inexperience of our group and the players we asked to take a leadership role. (…). I am very excited about this group, with young people who will learn from this experience.