Does Warren Gatland's exit spell success for Wales?

There’s no doubt that Welsh rugby is experiencing a slump, with a defeat against Scotland on the 8^th of March marking their sixteenth consecutive test match loss. Obviously, some changes need to be made.

Midway into their six nations campaign, the Welsh Rugby Union announced the departure of Warren Gatland, head coach for the men’s national team. This didn’t come as a huge surprise. Since re-joining Wales in 2022, Gatland has overseen only six victories. He first came to Wales in 2007 in what would become the start of a shining twelve-year stint including three Grand Slams, two world cup semi-finals, and a record fourteen-strong win streak. This torrent of success even briefly placed Wales at the top of the world rankings. Currently, they rank twelfth.

Upon departure, Gatland said he was ‘grateful’ to his supporters and his players, and echoed the belief of many Welsh fans that ‘now is the right time for a change.’ The WRU say they aim to appoint a permanent replacement before their summer tour to Japan. In the meantime, the Welsh men will be overseen by Matt Sherratt, who previously served as Wales attack coach from 2016 to 2017.

Some optimistic fans are suggesting that the change in coaching leadership has already made a positive difference, with Wales’ most recent 35-29 defeat against Scotland seeming a less harsh alternative to their 43-0 pummelling by France in the opening match of the six nations. However, the WRU has numerous other issues to address before they claim their next wins at international level. Insufficient grassroots and professional pathway funding has cripped relationships between regional and national rugby, and many now feel the WRU has lost its credibility as a respectable governing body. To make matters worse, Wales has also recently lost many of its senior players, leaving behind a young, uncertain, and crucially inexperienced squad. Twenty of the current men’s six nations line up boast only ten international caps or less.

Needless to say, these are tough times for Welsh rugby. But as is always the case with sport, success ebbs and flows, and changes implemented in these areas could bring about some much-needed improvements. But as it stands, it seems unlikely that an isolated change in head coach can make much of a difference without some serious work being put in elsewhere.