James Botham says Wales head coach Warren Gatland ‘is right for the job’

James Botham, flanker for the national squad, has given short shrift to those who question whether Warren Gatland should remain as Wales head coach.

Wales’ 45-12 defeat against Autumn Nations Series opponents South Africa was their 12th Test match loss in succession.

They have gone a whole calendar year without winning a Test, which has not happened to Wales since 1937, and are just over two months away from a Six Nations opener against France in Paris.

Review

A review into the autumn campaign – it also featured defeats against Fiji and Australia – will begin shortly and be led by Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney.

Gatland has overseen just six victories in 24 Tests since returning for a second stint as Wales boss, which starkly contrasts with a trophy-laden first spell from 2008 to 2019.

“Look what he has done in the past,” Wales flanker Botham said.

“There is a reason he came back into the job.

“There is no point in looking to point fingers or blame or say is he the right man? He is here, so of course he is right for the job.”

Botham made a staggering 28 tackles against the Springboks, being at the forefront of a resilient defensive display that ultimately prevented South Africa from cutting loose.

Leading 19-0 inside the opening quarter, and then 26-5 at half-time, it looked as though the visitors might humiliate Wales.

Admirable

But a second-half performance highlighted by admirable character and commitment underpinned Wales’ best performance of the autumn campaign.

Botham added: “It was very physical. But what was pleasing was the way we fought back at the end to get back into their 22 and get the final points.

“There were a lot of positives from it. Overall, I thought the boys showed a lot of heart, and it was good to see.

“At times, things get hard, but it shows the boys care. There has been a lot of negativity around recently, but you have got to put that in the back pocket.

“I wouldn’t say it’s about proving a point. All teams transition. Some take longer than others.

“It is a journey, and we’ve definitely got a few more stops before we get to the final destination. The more we stay together, the better I think we will be.

“The Six Nations is a new competition where we can set new goals. Boys can go away and work on things they need to work on, including myself.

“The more you play together, the more you trust one another. Once we get the cohesion over a period of time, we will be better.

“It is a matter of turning the corner. When we will do that, no-one knows, but it is definitely going in the right direction.”