Biggar AND better
Gatland’s big-game plan is bearing fruit and f ly-half Dan is the man who can now bring it all together
BEFORE facing Australia last November, Warren Gatland was keen to play down the significance of the result. ‘Our whole planning and preparation is about the World Cup,’ said the Kiwi. ‘I don’t see any point in winning every game in the autumn and not qualifying out of our group.’
Wales suffered a late defeat, but Gatland’s squad timed their form for the final Test of the series, beating South Africa to end a rotten run of 22 defeats by the Southern Hemisphere’s ‘Big Three’.
‘It’s part of the stepping stone in what we are trying to achieve and the long-term goal is to win the World Cup,’ said Gatland after the match. ‘It’s something we can draw on and take experience from.’
With the monkey off their back, a victory over the Wallabies on Saturday would now see an injuryravaged Wales qualify for the quarter-finals as unlikely winners of the ‘group of death’. Victories over England and Fiji have kept the foot on the throat of their rivals, with Wales in control of their destiny.
‘We want to top the group and go through as group winners,’ said assistant coach Neil Jenkins yesterday. ‘It’s a case of getting the guys fresh and ready for this final onslaught. If you are going to be world champions, you have to play the best sides, so why not meet them and beat them in the group?
‘We are on a fantastic run. We have beaten South Africa, we have beaten England and Ireland away, we have beaten France in Paris, so we have shown we are good enough. To play two Test matches to the standard we have played over the last few days is huge. It doesn’t bear thinking about what these boys have gone through.’
Wales have suffered 10 consecutive defeats by the Wallabies, although the psychological barrier of Southern Hemisphere opponents has been obliterated by last year’s victory over South Africa.
‘We have not been good enough, it’s that simple,’ said Jenkins. ‘You can say we have had bad luck or whatever, but we have to take a leaf out of Australia’s book and play for 80 minutes. You can never switch off and, on occasions, we have switched off slightly in the 78th or 79th minutes and that’s where we have lost these Test matches.
‘It will probably be mentioned this week, but I’d like to think the boys realise that when they play sides like Australia or New Zealand, they cannot ever switch off.
‘We are easily good enough to win and beat Australia. It is just a mindset — knowing that in the last five minutes you have to come alive again. We have beaten England on their own patch and, if we beat Australia, we would be in a very good place.’
With an injury list approaching double figures, Wales are hoping to welcome back prop Paul James and full-back Liam Williams.
Having suffered at the scrum, Gatland might be tempted to select James ahead of Gethin Jenkins, while Williams’ return could result in a reshuffled back three at the expense of out-of-form winger Alex Cuthbert.
One player Gatland cannot afford to lose is fly-half Dan Biggar. He has kicked 13 from 13 goals at the World Cup, with kicking coach Jenkins tipping him soon to challenge the likes of Dan Carter and Jonny Sexton as the best No 10 in the world.
‘He’s a massive player for Wales at this moment and a real go-to man,’ said Jenkins. ‘He’s taken the team by the scruff of the neck and makes good decisions.
‘There’s a lot more to come from him yet. He’s only going to get better. I wouldn’t say he’s too far away from being one of the best 10s in the world.
‘I think he has the desire to be the best in the world and he is certainly going the right way about it.’
As Wales’ all-time record points scorer, Jenkins has a strong eye for goal-kicking and first spotted Biggar’s ability more than 10 years ago, but feels there is even more to come from the 25-year-old.
‘Dan’s been an exceptional goal-kicker from a young age,’ said Jenkins. ‘I saw him at academy level when he was 15. He’s never been one of those who has to work heavily on his technique. He has a good mindset and a good way of kicking the ball.
‘From a young age, you could tell he was going to play for Wales. He would probably have told you straightaway he was going to be a We ls h international and a British Lion. I am sure that is on the horizon. He’s matured in the last few years.’