Head coach Warren Gatland says he would not have returned to Wales had he known the full scale of Welsh Rugby’s problems.
Gatland vacated the head coaching role after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, a position he held for 12 years, before returning following Wayne Pivac’s sacking in December.
However, the 59-year-old claims that he had little idea of the mess he walked into upon his return and wouldn’t have taken up the job again if he knew the full extent.
‘I had no idea’
Besides the underwhelming results of the national team, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had a sexism scandal, leading to the chief executive resigning and coaches being sacked or suspended.
The players also threatened to strike over contractual chaos, which was played out against a gloomy financial backdrop.
While Galtand concedes that some of the issues existed during his first tenure, he argues the success of the national side papered over the cracks.
“When I came into the Six Nations, I had no idea. I didn’t realise a lot of the things that were going on and the issues that were behind rugby and the squad and the players,” Gatland told the BBC’s Scrum V podcast.
“At the time, if I had known, I would have made a different decision and probably gone somewhere else. Welsh rugby’s going to go through [more] pain from a financial perspective for the regions.
“These issues were here before, but there’s no doubt that the success of the national team in the past probably papered over the cracks.
“Now, probably for the better, they have come to the fore, and there is a chance to focus on the things that needed fixing.
“There’s a great chance for us to have a really positive reset on a number of things.
“I feel like we’re in that place now that’s exciting with some of the young talent that’s coming through.”
Justin Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones
During the podcast, Gatland also commented on the retirements of Justin Tipuric, Alun Wyn Jones and Joe Hawkins’ decision to leave Wales.
The Wales boss said that Jones’ retirement did not come as a surprise to him following “constant discussions” on the subject since the Six Nations.
Meanwhile, Gatland said that injuries meant that Tipuric felt as if he was unable to compete for a World Cup place.
“Justin said his body wasn’t 100% and didn’t think he could get through World Cup preparation.
“But they all understood that while they may have been first choice in the past, there was no guarantee they’re going to make the World Cup squad. There’s a lot of competition.
“It reminds me of 2011 when we had a group of older, experienced players and a young generation that came through and were absolutely outstanding. However, the Joe Hawkins one is disappointing.”
Joe Hawkins
Hawkins could not be selected for the Rugby World Cup squad after signing a deal with Exeter Chiefs, making him ineligible. This came after the youngster was Gatland’s first choice inside centre during the Six Nations.
“That’s the one that really disappoints me. The others I can cope with because we’ve got depth in certain positions, and people make those personal decisions for their families,” Gatland explained.
“But I was just really surprised that a 20-year-old would throw away the chance to be involved in international rugby, particularly a World Cup, which would have been huge for his development.
“Joe was a player that we were looking at for the future as a number 10. Neil Jenkins spoke to him and said: ‘I just don’t get it. Why are you giving away this chance? You’ve got a Lions tour in a couple of years that you could potentially be a part of.’”
Wales begin their preparations for the Rugby World Cup with two Tests against England and a clash with South Africa.
They have been drawn in Pool C along with Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.
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The article ‘If I had known, I would have made a different decision’ – Warren Gatland appeared first on Planetrugby.com.
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