James Botham says Wales head coach Warren Gatland ‘is right for the job’
James Botham, 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.”
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I agree with James Botham. There’s no doubt Warren Gatland is a world class coach, although the players need to take a hard look at themselves. Getting rid of Gatland will not alter the trajectory of the national side unless the structure of Welsh rugby is overhauled from top to bottom. Changing the coach will do nothing. We will not get the calibre of Gatland. Who would take up the job knowing all the problems that comes with the job. Not many unless a glutton for punishment. Anyway, any new coach will still have the same players, the same regional… Read more »
Nail was hit on the head regarding Ireland having the correct model, which can also be said about national politics. Ireland won one Grand Slam over 3 centuries and 25+ Wooden Spoons, then they went fully provincial for the professional tier but centrally controlled. Moffet messed up our pro level with stand alone clubs then the off field decline dipped ten years ago with Roger Lewis not being replaced with the same calibre. Short term the problem started with the Quentin – Alphonsi report which brought in Tierney, who now admits herself that the report from England rugby people was… Read more »