By Gareth James
Welsh Rugby Union chairman Richard Collier-Keywood insists Warren Gatland has his “full support”.
The head coach is under significant pressure following a run of nine consecutive international defeats, including all five matches at the 2024 Six Nations.
Collier-Keywood ,though, says Wales are going through a rebuilding phase, as they prepare for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Gatland has endured a miserable 2024, with his team finishing bottom of the Six Nations for the first time since 2003.
They followed that up with a 2-0 defeat to Australia in their summer Test series, with the latter of those matches a ninth defeat in a row.
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That has led to calls for Gatland to be replaced, but Richard Collier-Keywood insists there are no plans for a change of leadership at the moment.
“I’m a proud Welshman myself and I don’t like the fact we’ve lost the last nine Test matches, but this is about rebuilding,” he said.
“We’ve asked Warren to have a specific objective heading towards the next World Cup.
“Our pathways were not in the position they should’ve been in, so he’s taken this opportunity over this Six Nations and summer series to try out some new players.”
Wales’ losing streak dates back to the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, when they were beaten by Argentina.
That was the first of nine successive defeats, including a shock reversal to Italy during the Six Nations.
Gatland 'has our full support' says WRU chairman https://t.co/qelvqlvEi1
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 25, 2024
As such, they have dropped to their lowest ever position in the world rankings – 11th.
If they lose to Fiji in their next fixture in October, it would equal their record of 10 international losses in a row.
But Collier-Keywood says critics should look further than the bare-faced results.
“If you look at the performances, you can see that some of the players have tried out really well,” he continued.
“We’re starting to get strength in depth and some of these players are on their way to becoming regular internationals.
“It is part of a plan, we’ve asked him to do it and he’s getting on with it, of course we’re going to support him.”
Gatland is in his second stint in charge of Wales, having originally taken the reins between 2007 and 2019.
Wales enjoyed significant success over that period, as they lifted the Six Nations title on three occasions, winning the Grand Slam each time.
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The Kiwi left in 2020 to take charge of the Chiefs in his native New Zealand.
But the lure of Wales proved too much to resist, as he duly returned in 2022.
Things have not gone to plan since then, managing only six victories from 21 attempts.
Indeed, his win percentage for this stint in charge lies at just 28.6%, compared to 55.4% from his initial period at the helm.
But the fact 11 different players have made their international debuts in 2024 alone shows the team are going through a rebuilding phase.
“My hope is we won’t keep losing,” Collier-Keywood added. “We’re clearly not going to go from a position and lose every Test match between now and 2027 and reach the semi-final of the World Cup.
“If that strategy is going to work you can clearly see there should be a path of winning over that period of time, Warren has our full support.”
Read our recent DS stories on Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland Moves Close To New Low Point As Pressure Mounts Ahead Of Potential Ninth Wales Defeat
Warren Gatland To Go A Year Without Winning . . . But Insists He’s Still The Man For Wales
