Issue 157

Where next for Wales?

08th October 2007

Carl Day examines Wales shock exit from the rugby world cup and who could take over as head coach after the sacking of Gareth Jenkins

After last weekends defeat by Fiji the Welsh Rugby Union sacked coach Gareth Jenkins. Jenkins had been in charge of the National side for 20 games, winning just 6 of them, his contract was due to run until the end of the 2008 six nations but the board felt they had no option but to axe Jenkins after the poor showing in France.

The 38-34 defeat by Fiji put Wales out at the group stage. The target for the team was a quarter final place at least and Jenkins and the team looked like that they would make that after a good second half comeback against the Fijians. The small Pacific Island team held on to record their most famous World Cup victory.

Fiji scored late in the game with a try from Dewes but Stephen Jones and James Hook missed kickable penaltys that cost their team a quarter final place against South Africa. Wales had looked comfortable moving into the final five minutes after a Martyn Williams Try in the 73rd minute.

Wales will now look to put a coach in place before next years Six nations but first have a provisional match against South Africa on November the 24th to overcome.

The list of names in the running have included former coach Mike Ruddock, Eddie Jones the ex Australian Coach and South African Nick Mallet. These three men are all either in a Job or due to start a new one after the World Cup and have so far all ruled themselves out of the running in taking over as head coach. The fact that these coaches have announced they do not want the job reflects badly on the Welsh Rugby Union.

Whoever takes the job will need the full backing of the Welsh Rugby union which is something that all previous coaches failed to have.

Wales have had six head coaches in six years and the pressure will be on the new coach to try and get Wales back to the sort of level that saw them Six nations champions just two years ago. The team looks like it needs an overhaul as a few of the players look to be coming towards the end of their careers, Martin Williams being the first to announce his retirement. The new coach will need to look at the players and get them playing the attractive rugby that the team and the country want to see the National team playing.

If the new coach comes from abroad he will have to address team morale and the status of some players in the squad. There has been reports in the media that players have to much power in the squad, these reports have been surfacing for the last 18 months and have to be addressed. Whoever takes over the head coaches job will have to handle the pressure of coaching one of the proudest rugby nations whilst providing entertaining rugby.

The tactics wales used against Fiji played into the Pacific Islands hands. Fiji and their neighbours Samoa and Tonga have all struggled with their set pieces and Wales should have used this tactic to more effect. The welsh players can take some of the blame as their kicks out of hand were poor letting Fiji counter attack and the first half showed what can happen if you give the team space to run.

Wales showed glimpses in the second half of the match what they can do when they open up but also what can happen when the game plan goes wrong, the new coach is going to have a hard job getting the country back up to the standards that the country craves.

As Wales wasted no time in getting rid of Gareth Jenkins, the other six nation team to miss out on a World cup quarter final gave their coach a vote of confidence.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has been promised the Irish rugby union will honour his contract for the next four years.

O'Sullivan had been under pressure after the Argentina defeat. Ireland never looked like beating Argentina and scoring the four tries they needed to get through to the Quarter finals. Argentinas success like Fiji was unexpected but good news for world rugby.

The Irish Rugby union is obviously looking long term and sees continuity as the key in stark contrast to the WRU.

Carl Day