By David Williams
Warren Gatland insists he is not worried about losing his job as Wales coach, despite watching his team lose 24-19 to Fiji on Sunday in what was a record-equalling 10th successive Test defeat.
Wales had not lost 10 matches since the 2002-03 season and now face two tough weekends against Australia, energised by their victory over England on Saturday, and world champions South Africa.
Caleb Muntz scored a try and kicked 14 more points to help Fiji to a first-ever win over Wales in Cardiff.
“You can worry about that,” Gatland replied when asked about his future.
“The pressure comes from the media as it’s a narrative you create. That’s okay. I believe that since the World Cup, with the players we’ve lost, we’ve invested in the youngsters and we’ve seen development.
“We need patience and time. I understand Test match rugby is about winning. You control the narrative and write what you want.”
You can’t lose 10 straight games without consequences. It’s clear what’s being coached is not good enough. Wales needs new ideas and soon. Time for Gatland to go, and Walker & Tierney can join him.
— Iain Ross (@irh0108) November 10, 2024
The New Zealander’s second spell as Wales coach is proving markedly less successful than his first, from 2007 to 2019.
That yielded four Six Nations titles – including three Grand Slams and two appearances in World Cup semi-finals.
But the 61-year-old has found wins harder to come by since replacing compatriot Wayne Pivac as Wales coach in December 2022.
“Hopefully next week,” Gatland said of when the next win would come.
“It was supposed to be today. I’ve been around long enough to know Test match rugby is all about winning.
“But it’s taking the pressure off the players so they can go out there and play. There’s probably one or two moments there where players will think if they were more accurate, they could have created opportunities.
“But in fairness to the boys, the first thing they do is look at themselves.”
Gatland referring to “..the stuff that you drive in terms of the media” in relation to pressure
As opposed to the pressure-free treatment he gave Pivac https://t.co/U7tYq3RZM2 pic.twitter.com/YyIBBIEHSg
— Russ Petty (@rpetty80) November 10, 2024
Gatland added: “We are disappointed but I still thought there was lots of good stuff about today.
“We talked about what we’re doing in terms of some younger players and they will take a little bit of time.
“It’s our first game in the autumn and you fix a number of those things up and you get a different result the following week.
“You’ve got to take it on the chin. At the moment the criticism directed at me is probably a little bit easier, it’s not so much on the players, I’m reasonably comfortable with that.
“I’ve got broad enough shoulders to take that, but we will continue to work hard, keep our head down and we’ve got to come back and prove that for next week,” he told TNT Sports.
Fiji coach Mick Byrne was left basking in the victory, notably after the team missing a raft of Europe-based stars went down 57-17 to Scotland last week.
“We are so pleased with the win. There are a lot of guys in the squad who have been out on that field in white jerseys before so to get this wins means so much,” Byrne said.
“At half-time we knew the game was there to be had and we wanted to go and create some history.
“This is a great win for us and our programme and some of the young boys really stood up.
“But I am especially pleased for the older lads who have spilt blood here many times and now get to feel a win.”
