Wales play Argentina in Marseille on Saturday with a place in the World Cup semi-final at stake, a position few thought Warren Gatland’s Welsh side would be in after a year of turmoil.
Welsh rugby was in disarray when Gatland was hired for a second time, taking over from Kiwi predecessor Wayne Pivac as uncertainty over a deal between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and its regional clubs left players worrying about their futures.
A sexism and racism scandal saw WRU chairman Steve Phillips resign while the players threatened to go on strike ahead of their Six Nations match against England.
Senior stalwarts such as Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Ken Owens and Rhys Webb also all retired just months before the World Cup began.
Read moreRugby World Cup 2023: Guide to the quarter-final fixtures
Gatland, who led Wales to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals (2011, 2019) in his first tenure, said he revelled in handling tournament teams that felt like clubs.
“I have always spoken about how much I have enjoyed the World Cups because of preparation,” he said.
“It’s the only time you get to feel you are a club side in terms of getting our detail done and having an off season and feeling like you can make a huge amount of progress.
“That has helped us in the past and we have done pretty well at World Cups and we have tended to do well in Six Nations following World Cups as well.”
(AFP)
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Rugby World Cup 2023: Guide to the quarter-final fixtures
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