Wales have their swagger back...
EDWARDS HAILS DEMOLITION TEAM
The warning from Shaun edwards after Saturday’s demolition job in the eternal City was that Wales will build on their momentum and arrive at the World Cup with even sharper teeth.
After opening with defeat by england, Wales won all of their remaining RBS 6 Nations fixtures.
In the end, they were left to rue a late breakaway try from Italy’s Leonardo Sarto that, according to Warren Gatland, represented a title-defining 14-point swing.
edwards was left to ponder the ‘ what ifs’ in the underground concourses of the Stadio Olimpico, though the defence coach believes Wales will be a significant force when they re-group for summer training camps in Switzerland and Qatar.
‘We’ll be on an even higher plateau by the World Cup,’ he said. ‘The World Cup is the only time that we compete on an equal level to the southern hemisphere teams. They are together for four months every year and we like to think we get better with time together. There are no guarantees but I don’t think we’ll be a bad team come the World Cup.’
The extensive preparations will involve another meeting with Italy for a warm-up match at the Millennium Stadium. Confidence will be high after the imperious second-half display in Rome — scoring 47 points in 26 minutes — but focus will be on how to shake off their habit of starting campaigns slowly.
With most of the squad playing slow-paced regional rugby, fitness levels have been identified as one of the keys to the problem. Gatland will push his side to their limits and centre Jamie Roberts believes they will be even stronger than the Welsh side that reached the 2011 World Cup semi-final in New Zealand.
‘We are definitely better than we were four years ago,’ said Roberts. ‘The core of players are still together and there’s a lot more experience.
‘We know when we get together for a long period of time we are a bloody good team. I think it showed against england that we were a bit rusty when we have just two weeks prep together.
‘Looking back to the last World Cup, we had more time together and really worked in putting in the hard yards in terms of fitness and technical play. That preparation period gives us scope to work on things and improve our conditioning.
‘The warm-up games will be a good measuring stick of where we are. Touch wood, the last few months of the season are injury- free for everyone.’
Based on the defensive display against Ireland and the attacking swagger against Italy, Wales have a powerful formula for success.
They broke away from their tight structure on Saturday and played with flair and panache that have been in short supply.
Italy capitulated under the speed and intensity, with the Azzurri media calling for coach Jacques Brunel’s head after his side were left chasing shadows.
‘We always thought we were capable of an attacking performance like that,’ said Wales skipper Sam Warburton. ‘To be fair to Warren, Rob howley and the coaches they tell us to play.
‘Over the last few years maybe it was just a confidence issue but we are a lot more confident than we were 24 months ago.’ For the sake of entertainment value it raises the question of whether bonus points should be introduced to incentivise attacking play.
edwards, however, feels there is no need to change the format.
‘I’m not interested in try bonus points or anything like that,’ said edwards. ‘It’s been one of the best Six Nations in memory.
‘When was the last time three teams had the chance to win it in three separate matches? It’s a great advert for the competition.
‘ The defence control what the attack does. If the defence is not very good, you can attack like that. Do you think you could play that kind of rugby against South Africa? If we threw the ball around like that we would lose by 20 points.
‘We’ve taken some positive steps and we’re regretting that bad 40 minutes against england but four wins out of five has been a very good effort for us.’