Warren Gatland is the national head coach in a country that is still captivated by rugby like nothing else. For the 61-year-old Kiwi, that comes with the highest of highs (Championship and Grand Slam titles) and, right now, some crushing lows (13 straight losses).
How hard is it to keep your head against the oppressive crush of public opinion? “I think that’s the beauty of the game, that everyone’s got an opinion,” answers Gatland, with the smile of a man who has heard more than his fair share.
The former hooker from Hamilton has been a dominant figure in the Six Nations since claiming his first title in his maiden season in charge of Wales, in 2008 (he also had a spell in charge of Ireland from 1998 to 2001). Unsurprisingly, it’s a tournament that holds a special place in his heart.
“The Six Nations inspires people, the history, the passion that it brings,” he says. “It’s more than a game: it’s an occasion. I love it as a tournament. It’s incredibly hard to win, you need a little bit of luck, the bounce of the ball, decisions to go your way. I think it’s unbelievable to have the opportunity to be part of the Six Nations.”
Gatland harks back to something said by England rugby icon Martin Johnson, who took the reins of his country two years into his retirement as a player. “Martin made a comment about how he couldn’t believe how much the game had changed in the period that he’d been away,” recalls Gatland. When it comes to keeping up with the changes in the game, he looks at it another way: “It’s about being proactive rather than reactive sometimes.
“You’ve got to keep in mind that you’re involved in sport and sport is about entertainment and it’s about the fans. [So] you’re trying to find a balance between playing a certain way, but also understanding that you’ve got to be smart in the way that you play – and sometimes that could be kicking a bit more, or tactically doing some things that are a little more conservative, because at the end of the day it’s still about results.”
Waikato rugby made Warren Gatland the player, and it was his mentors there who made Warren Gatland the coach. Perhaps his descriptions give some insight into his methods today. “One was my first XV coach, a guy called Glenn Ross, who coached in the Northern Hemisphere with Northampton and with Connacht as well,” says Gatland, who took over from Ross as coach of the latter club. “What I learnt from him was his structure and organisation, and how he prepared and planned for things.
“With the All Blacks, it was Alex Wyllie, a tough and uncompromising guy. He pushed us to the absolute limit. People wouldn’t appreciate how hard we actually trained during an All Blacks campaign. It was incredible how tough those tours sometimes were. Even the days before matches, they weren’t like a captain’s run today; they were maybe an hour and a half training session. That’s how tough it was.
“And then there was another coach for Waikato, Kevin Greene. He’d also been involved with the All Blacks. What I admired about him was his ability to manage people and bring the best out of them. He created a really positive environment for me. They were the three people who had a very significant impact.”
As much as he enjoys witnessing a player developing into a ‘Test-match animal’, Gatland also gets gratification from seeing them grow as men. He reflects on figures he brought through, such as Sam Warburton, an all-time great for Wales and the British and Irish Lions. “I look at players today who are a bit similar: Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, even with Dafydd Jenkins. The thing about them is we’ve got three not just great rugby players – who are going to be outstanding rugby players in the future – but three quality men.
“In terms of the example they set of just being good men. That for me means there’s an opportunity to build a team around them; for them to set standards and set expectations from a leadership point of view. Sam [Warburton] very much grew into that role. No doubt he was an incredible professional in the way that he prepared and trained and led by example.
“Sam didn’t rant and rave and say a lot, but he definitely led by his actions, and became incredibly well respected. I think we’ve got a group of young men who are capable of doing the same thing.”
The hope for this Wales team is that their core of young players can step up to the challenge of Rome this weekend, breaking a cycle that has dogged them since they last tasted victory all the way back in November 2023.
Do that, and just maybe they can start building towards a brighter future with a big weight removed from their shoulders.
Wales v Italy, Saturday 8th February, 14:15 GMT, Stadio Olimpico.
