Gatland’s grand showing
Warren Gatland has guided Wales to a Six Nations grand slam with his two Kiwis collecting all the points in a 25-7 win over Ireland.
New Zealand-born midfielder Hadleigh Parkes scored a second minute try for Wales in Cardiff yesterday off a clever kick by his man-of-the-match Kiwi compatriot Gareth Anscombe, who kicked 20 points.
Gatland – his his last Six Nations game after 12 years as Wales coach – saw his charges play a flawless first half to establish an unassailable 16-0 lead.
It was Gatland’s third grand slam since taking over as Wales coach at the end of 2007.
The former All Black hooker won the grand slam in his first Six Nations season – 2008 – and added another in 2012.
Gatland won his tactical battle with Ireland’s New Zealand coach Joe Schmidt, who celebrated a grand slam last season.
Anscombe – playing in front of his Welsh-born mother Tracey and father Mark who had come from Auckland for the big game – was perfect off the tee, slotting all seven kicks at goal.
Wales were never headed after a raking kick by Anscombe giving them early territorial ascendancy.
With Wales enjoying a penalty advantage, the former Blues and Chiefs pivot dinked a kick off the outside of his right boot for Parkes to collect and crash over for the game’s only try.
‘‘I’m just glad that came off for me and Parkesy; it’s a day to remember for Welsh rugby,’’ Anscombe said.
He said it was ‘‘hard to put into words’’ how he felt about winning a grand slam.
‘‘We’ve worked incredibly hard over the last year, and obviously we just have a habit of winning. They were tough conditions, but I can’t say enough about our group. We work pretty hard for each other.’’
Anscombe said Wales ‘‘wanted to enjoy’’ the occasion ‘‘in the best stadium in the world in front of our people’’.
He said the early try was crucial to Wales gaining momentum.
‘‘One you get behind in these tricky conditions it’s pretty hard to pull back.’’
Parkes, who capped a great Six Nations series with his fourth try in 15 tests, said the celebrations would go on for some time.
‘‘The crowd has been amazing, we’re really enjoying ourselves, and to do it like that is amazing.’’
Wales – who started the Six Nations campaign with a 16-0 halftime deficit in France – got better each week with their 21-13 home win over England proving the key.
The Welsh side played with control and composure despite the tricky conditions with rain falling throughout the match and the Principality Stadium’s roof open.
Anscombe added the conversion and later landed five penalties – three in the first spell and two in the second – as Ireland’s ill-discipline proved costly.
Ireland had to wait for the 83rd minute before scoring a consolation try to replacement back Jordan Larmour.
Wales lost wing George North to a fractured wrist in the 10th minute, but scarcely missed a beat. British and Irish Lions international Dan Biggar came on at first five-eighth, Anscombe moved to fullback and Liam Williams switched to the right wing.
Inspirational Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones – his country’s only survivor from Gatland’s first grand slam team – ensured Wales remained on task.
Ireland could find no way through the Welsh defence where Parkes and Lion Jonathan Davies were superb in midfield.
It was a sad way for Schmidt and Ireland’s captain Rory Best to bow out of the Six Nations. Schmidt will step down after the Rugby World Cup and Best is likely to retire.
But Wales were totally dominant. In London, Eddie Jones admitted England have "a recurring problem" in failing to hold onto big leads after a last-gasp try secured a 38-38 draw to prevent Scotland completing the greatest comeback in the history of international rugby.
Trailing 31-0 after 31 minutes, Scotland scored six tries and 38 unanswered points to lead 38-31 in the 76th minute of the Six Nations series finale at Twickenham yesterday. No international rugby team had previously come back from more than 24 points down to win.
But a remarkable match between the sport’s oldest rivals had one final twist, with replacement back George Ford bursting through a gap in a tired Scotland defence to dive over between the posts before converting to seal a draw.
Scotland retained the Calcutta Cup after beating England in Edinburgh last year, but they still have not won at Twickenham since 1983.
Meanwhile, Italy’s unwanted record in the Six Nations continued as a relieved France came away from the Stadio Olimpico with a 25-14 win in the teams’ last match yesterday.