Wales know they are in safe hands when Warren Gatland leads them to his fourth Rugby World Cup as head coach.
But it could prove to be the New Zealander’s biggest challenge of all after a difficult 12 months on and off the pitch.
Since Wales claimed a first victory over the Springboks in South Africa last year, they have won just three out of 13 Tests.
Wayne Pivac left his role as head coach following an autumn campaign when Wales lost at home to Georgia, before Gatland returned for a second stint in the top job.
There was also a significant backdrop of major financial issues and contractual uncertainty throughout the Welsh professional game, so much so that a threatened players’ strike dominated the build-up to Wales’ Guinness Six Nations clash with England in February.
A miserable fifth-placed finish in the tournament followed, but since naming an expanded training squad more than three months ago, Gatland has had time and space to gradually piece things back together through punishing camps in Switzerland and Turkey, plus through three World Cup warm-up games.
Underpinned by a World Cup record with Wales of two semi-final appearances and one quarter-final, Gatland knows the ropes and he is unquestionably relishing the task that lies ahead.
“I think if I look back on the Six Nations and all the things that were going on, I probably needed to let things unfold a bit and not be as direct or demanding as I might have normally been,” he said.
“The fact that things have settled down and a lot of new players have come in, the way that we’ve been so much more accountable for how we do things and demanding standards, that has been brilliant.
“As a group, we are in a good place. I promise you now, we will surprise some people.
“It is one step at a time. It’s about getting out of your pool first, and then see where you are. You don’t look too far ahead.
“I think every team is focusing on that – get out of your pool and take it one step at a time.”
Fiji are first up for Wales in Bordeaux, followed by Portugal, Australia and Georgia. Portugal are the only team not in Wales’ World Cup group of four years ago.
Gatland added: “We are pretty clear how we want to play against Fiji. We know how dangerous they are.
“They will have had five warm-up games before the World Cup, so they are going to be rugby-fit. We are all well aware of how important that first game is.
“If you can win that game you get some momentum, and then you can get some confidence, and hopefully you have a chance to win the group.”
Sixteen members of Gatland’s 33-strong World Cup squad, including co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, have never previously never set foot on rugby union’s biggest global stage.
But there are also four cap centurions in George North, who heads to a fourth World Cup, Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny and Taulupe Faletau, plus another six with more than 50 caps.
“It was trying to get the balance right with the experience,” Gatland said. “Some of the discussion was around what experienced players we felt we needed to take with some of the youngsters who have come into the squad.
“The beauty of this World Cup is that we do get some more breathing space with the time between games.
“The first game and the second games are a short turnaround, and then we’ve got an eight-day turnaround to Australia and then 13 days to the Georgia game.
“In the past it has been a challenge when you have had a four-day turnaround. It is a little bit more of a luxury in terms of that, so hopefully it gives us an opportunity to keep players fit and to freshen some players up between games.”
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
England tap into knowledge of Brian Ashton to play entertaining brand of rugby
England have been tapping into the knowledge of veteran attack guru Brian Ashton to achieve their aim of filling Twickenham.
The Red Roses ran in 14 tries in an 88-10 victory over Ireland that places them on the brink of claiming a sixth consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations title when they face France on Saturday.
A thrilling attacking performance before a 48,778 crowd was born out of the belief that in order to play in front of a full house of Twickenham at next year’s home World Cup, they must play appealing rugby.
And helping them achieve that aim is Ashton, a former England men’s head coach regarded as a visionary in the game whose expertise has been enlisted by Red Roses boss John Mitchell.
“Brian makes us ask questions. ‘If this is the picture, what is the easiest way that you can take the wins?’” said Dow, who ran in a hat-trick against Ireland.
“I do think it is about asking those questions and having Brian Ashton available throughout the week…I absolutely adore the man.
“The way he phrases things almost makes you re-think the philosophy of rugby. I think in the English brand the philosophy is ‘let’s kick to the corner, let’s take the territory’. But is that the philosophy of all rugby? Can we expand that?
“At the end of the day, professional rugby is a business in its own way. We need to be proving to the whole of England that we can play an exciting brand of rugby.”
While England march on by overwhelming the opposition in front of them, Ireland’s blowout highlights the gulf in class in the women’s game and affects the credibility of the Six Nations.
The Red Roses have accumulated 228 points after four rounds and France are the only European team capable of taking the wind out of their sails when the rivals clash in Bordeaux.
“I 100 per cent think teams will catch up and as much as we may be on top now, it is on us to try and work to keep that place and demand more from ourselves,” Dow said.
“Because as much as we’d love the game to grow, we want to keep the gap ourselves and continue to prove that we can be the best.”
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