SWEEPING ALL BEFORE THEM
Now Gatland’s men are out to paint world red
WARREN Gatland loves World Cup year, but he has never entered the final furlong in such fine fettle. Having chalked up a ninth consecutive win, which meant Wales won all of their autumn Tests for the first time, now Gatland’s side are ready to paint the world red in 2019.
But they are keen to touch up their masterpiece in a quiet corner away from prying eyes.
‘We want to just keep doing what we are doing and slip under the radar if possible,’ Gatland said after his side had beaten South Africa in Cardiff.
‘Hopefully people can concentrate on talking England up and how good Ireland are and we can concentrate on ourselves.’
George North also wants Wales’ work to go unnoticed. ‘Gats likes being the underdog, and for us it works,’ said the 26-year-old wing now preparing for the countdown to his third World Cup.
‘We don’t really shout and make a parade about it. We’ve put tough challenges ahead of us, and to finish the autumn four from four and be still under the radar, it’s a good position to be in.’
Remarkably, Wales are 7-1 with some bookmakers to win the Six Nations. They will host England and Ireland in Cardiff next year.
‘That first game in the Six Nations away in France becomes pretty important,’ added North.
‘Then we have got Italy the following week. That potentially sets you up for a good Six Nations campaign. The boys achieved something pretty special — the first Welsh team to go undefeated in the autumn — and the next mark is to try to get an undefeated sequence of games.
‘When you do that, it creates its own sort of momentum. It becomes harder but easier if you know what I mean because there is a desperation to want to continue and be successful.’
The autumn sweep was sealed with their most complete victory of the nine in a row. Tries from Tomas Francis and Liam Williams put Wales into an early lead before the Springboks stormed back to 14-11 by the hour mark, scoring through Jesse Kriel.
But on came Dan Biggar, replacing Gareth Anscombe, and he shut the door on South Africa with two late penalties.
Among it all, Ellis Jenkins was outstanding. A late call-up to the blindside flank — not his preferred position — he switched to No 8 when Ross Moriarty went off with a head knock early on.
With tackles, turnovers and talent, he set up both tries. That he then twisted his knee in the final play — he looks to have badly injured his anterior cruciate ligament — was a cruel blow.
North said: ‘The first-ever clean sweep is not to be sniffed at. The boys are tremendously proud.
‘This has been one of the best campaigns I’ve been involved with. There is no hiding, it has been a very honest and very hard camp. We are really trying to build something from within.
‘We know there is another level to go, there is more to come from us, but we can certainly be happy with how we’ve finished and there is a good foundation to push on from.’ WALES: L Williams; North, J Davies, Parkes (Watkin 77), Adams; Anscombe (Biggar 63), G Davies (T Williams 58); Smith (R Evans 51), Owens (Dee 53), Francis (Lewis 53); Beard (Hill 68), AW Jones; Jenkins, Moriarty (Wainwright 12), Tipuric. SOUTH AFRICA: Le Roux; Kolbe, Kriel, De Allende (Jantjies 46), Dyantyi (Willemse 76); Pollard, Papier (Van Zyl 51); Kitshoff (T du Toit 53), Marx (Mbonambi 54), Malherbe (Koch 47); Snyman (Etzebeth 11), Mostert; Kolisi, Vermeulen (Louw 65), P Du Toit. Referee: Luke Pearce (England). Attendance: 62,203.