By Graham Thomas
You can tell when a team has its back firmly up against the wall because there is nowhere else to reach for new explanations.
Wales have tried them all. They’re under-strength, they’re over-cooked, they’re rebuilding, they’re short on preparation time, there are too many rookies, not a big enough player pool, too many overseas players in the way at regional level, the fly-halves are too small, the props are too raw, there are leaves on the line and we’re experiencing exceptional call volumes at this moment in time, so please continue to hold.
You get the picture.
But perhaps now comes the end stage, or at least the near-the-end stage.
Ahead of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday, players have started to reach for the “must-win” terminology.
https://twitter.com/BBCScrumV/status/1811174895193321522
Ospreys centre Owen Watkin has gone early. He’s called this game a “must-win” encounter and also talked about “non-negotiables.”
“We were massively disappointed with the result in the first Test, because we went into the game fully believing we could win,” says Watkin.
“We left a lot of opportunities out there, and we weren’t happy with the penalty count and the errors we made.
“There is still a positive vibe in the camp, and we need a win on Saturday. It is now non-negotiable.
“We put ourselves in a position to win last weekend but the penalty and error count let us down and we will try to put that right. We just fell short last weekend, and we don’t want that to happen again.”
“That’s disappointing for him and disappointing for us”
Wales head coach Warren Gatland on Aaron Wainwright missing their second Test against Australia due to his hamstring injury ❌#BBCRugby pic.twitter.com/1PiV5NRKYJ
— BBC ScrumV (@BBCScrumV) July 11, 2024
But is it really must-win? Probably not for coach Warren Gatland, even though another defeat would make it nine in succession.
The Welsh Rugby Union don’t want to get rid of Gatland. It would be messy, hugely expensive, and worse still for those who appointed him little more than 18 months ago, it would expose the poor judgement demonstrated in that decision.
Never go back is the old adage and it’s often more right than wrong when it comes to returning coaches.
Like every Wales supporter, the Union want the turnaround to start at AAMI Park, but the bookmakers are giving little encouragement that will actually happen.
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Read here: https://t.co/GSi7anRh5j#WalesRugby #WALvAUS #DaiRugby pic.twitter.com/CSHidbx0mb
— Dai Sport (@Dai_Sport_) July 11, 2024
The first Test may have been a tight affair for the most part, before Wales lost 25-16 but DragonBet don’t see this contest as difficult to call.
