Rejuvenated Howley sets positive tone for the Welsh
ROB HOWLEY’S journey to redemption continues in Dublin this weekend. The former Cardiff, Wales and Lions scrum-half rejoined Warren Gatland’s backroom team on the eve of the championship after almost four years in the international wilderness.
In Welsh rugby’s Saipan moment, Howley was sensationally sent home from 2019 World Cup in Japan when it emerged that the assistant coach had breached betting guidelines.
Howley, who was ever-present alongside Gatland during a 12year, trophy-laden sting with Wales, resigned in disgrace and was subsequently banned form the game for 18 months.
A gig with the Canadian national team afforded a route back into rugby before he took up a coaching role with Toronto Arrows.
When the call came from Gatland a few months ago, Howley jumped at the chance. He is now back serving Wales as a ‘technical’ coach. Keen to make up for lost time, Howley is braced for a daunting assignment on Saturday as winless Wales take on an in-form Ireland side. For a coach granted a second chance, he is relishing the looming challenge.
’Great to be back. Thoroughly enjoyed the last four or five weeks,’ he said yesterday.
’Obviously there’s a disappointment, (with the) last couple of games. We feel that opportunities which were presented in games, we’ve hurt ourselves and haven’t taken advantage.
‘Doesn’t feel like we’ve lost two, but we have by three points. It’s a great opportunity to go to Dublin and face a formidable side. They haven’t lost in Dublin in three years.
‘Our record against them in Dublin isn’t great, but what an opportunity for a young team who are still growing.’
This youthful and inexperienced Welsh team have been installed as firm outsiders this weekend. On paper, Andy Farrell’s squad have the edge in virtually every department. .
It looks like mission impossible for the visitors, but Howley was talking a good game yesterday.
‘It’s a game of rugby for 80 minutes. Self-belief and confidence. That’s the biggest challenge for everyone, in terms of a winning mentality. I think that’s the biggest challenge for this part of the group, learning and knowing how to win. If you look at the age profile of the side we’re up against, Ireland know how to win.
‘If you look back at Scotland and England, nailing that moment and knowing how to win.
‘That’s our challenge. That’s what we’ll continue to try and grow within our sessions throughout the working week. Keep talking about winning is so important, because it gives us self-belief.
‘Yes, of course, skillset and there are areas we need to work on, but that mindset of knowing how to win and when those moments come around in a game.
‘Back in 2019, we could have lost some of those games, but we were on a winning bounce and we found a way to win.’
Yesterday, Gatland made just one change to the team which ran England close at Twickenham a fortnight ago, with Scarlets out-half Sam Costelow returning to the starting line-up.
To get a sense of the scale of the current Welsh rebuild, it’s instructive to look at the team which pitched up against Ireland in the corresponding fixture in Cardiff 12 months ago. A host of household names have either called it a day, sought pastures new abroad — thus ruling themselves out of contention — or are rehabbing injuries. No Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar or Liam Williams, while Jac Morgan and Taulupe Faletau are currently out of action.
Greenhorns like full-back Cameron Winnett (two caps), tighthead Keiron Assiratti (four caps) and blinside flanker Alex Mann (two caps) have been thrown in at the deep end. Even the newly-appointed captain, Dafydd Jenkins, only has 14 appearances under his best.
‘To learn at international level, it’s a harsh ground to play in terms of every opportunity — every lineout, every scrum and every moment in the game — you talk about nailing or mastering that moment.
‘When you’re coaching experienced players with 50-odd caps, those pictures slow down and they’re not as quick. Obviously, with the experience of these young players, those pictures are moving very quickly. Ultimately, it’s pressure — time, space and fatigue. All those factors go into that decision-making and execution.
‘We’ve seen some growth. A game is 80 one-minute games. Against a world class side that hasn’t been beaten, you have to be on it for 80 of those oneminute games. Because if you switch off, it challenges your composure. They’ve got great cohesion.
‘They’ve come out of the World Cup probably with a slight disappointment, knowing Andy Farrell and how he drives their coaching team. They’ve got a formidablity about them. It’s something we’re looking forward to. We’ll look to challenge them at every opportunity.’ WALES: