By Graham Thomas

Warren Gatland has been told he needs to start winning but has been backed to stay in his job by the Welsh Rugby Union.

Gatland’s Six Nations flops face Australia next week in the first of two summer Tests that could prove critical to his survival chances.

The New Zealander is on the ropes after seven straight defeats and that will become nine – equaling his worse sequence in 26 years of coaching – if Wales lose both games to the Wallabies.

New Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney turned down Gatland’s dressing room offer to resign following the Six Nations whitewash and insists he is still doing a good job.

“We have a plan, that plan was agreed with Warren, and we are meeting the milestones in that plan,” said Tierney.

WRU Set Ambitious Destination . . . But You’ll Have To Wait For The Road Map

“We started with a really young team – that was something he inherited – and it’s about building that team over the next few years, so that we’re right at our peak when we go into the next World Cup.”

That may be the long-term strategy, but if short-term results undermine that plan, then Tierney has admitted they will have to consider change.

Gatland delivered three Grand Slams in his first spell in charge between 2008 and 2019, but could go through 2024 without winning a single game unless he can beat Australia, Fiji or South Africa in the five games remaining.

After the two Tests Down Under, Wales play autumn matches against the Fijians, the Aussies again and then the Springboks, who beat them last week.

Tierney added: “I can’t look ahead and say if we lose every game in Australia, or if we don’t win anything somewhere else, that’s it.

Warren Gatland says he told WRU CEO Abi Tierney that he was happy to resign after today’s defeat to Italy.

Wales have picked up a wooden spoon in the Six Nations for the first time in 21 years. pic.twitter.com/hduGmLZtva

— ITV Wales News (@ITVWales) March 16, 2024

“But there’ll be a point when you know that the plan is not working.

“But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a coach issue. There could be a number of different quite complex reasons about what might need to change at that point.”

The Wallabies are under new coach Joe Schmidt and are desperate for revenge after losing 40-6 to Wales at last year’s World Cup.