Gatland revelling in an underdog role as Wales head to Dublin with the strength in depth to upset Ireland
IRELAND v WALES BIG MATCH PREVIEW:
THERE is a memorable scene in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when Butch finds himself challenged for the leadership of the Hole in the Wall Gang by a chap who would make the Incredible Hulk consider running for the hills.
More than a bit concerned at the turn of events, Butch asks for some rules to be established in what is shaping up to be a knife fight.
“Rules? In a knife fight. No rules,” says muscle-bound Harvey, Butch’s would-be successor.
At that, Butch throws dirt in the big man’s eyes and kicks him hard in the groin, bringing him to his knees.
It is way too soon to suggest Warren Gatland has done anything like that to Wales’ critics in this Six Nations, but, once again, he is showing he can respond well to unfavourable circumstances.
Think of where Wales were barely three weeks ago, hammered by injuries and set to face a Scotland side buoyed by their 53-24 thrashing of Australia.
A team full of injured Welsh internationals were found to be missing by one writer: Liam Williams, Hallam Amos, Jonathan Davies, Tyler Morgan, George North, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Paul James, Scott Baldwin, Leon Brown, Jake Ball, Rory Thornton, Dan Lydiate, Taulupe Faletau and Sam Warburton. Pundits were largely dismissive. “Warren Gatland has said Wales are going to win the championship, it’s going to be their best tournament since 2013,” laughed Lawrence Dallaglio in a pre-tournament interview. “I don’t know what he’s on. “He’s got no fly-half at the moment and whoever plays, there will be doing it for the very first time.”
But one of Gatland’s strengths is his ability to see adversity as an opportunity. Maybe he remembers the old Henry Ford quote: “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” Or perhaps not. Whatever, he is an individual who tends to shine when the odds are against him.
Scotland were duly taken apart and England were given a serious hurry-up at Twickenham despite Leigh Halfpenny having joined the list of crocks.
This weekend, the challenge is different.
Ireland are seen as favourites by bookmakers, but there is mild expectation on Wales, with many tipping them to win in Dublin. On BBC Wales’s Scrum V programme last Sunday, the three studio guests, Thinus Delport, Richard Hibbard and Sean Holley, all predicted the visitors would succeed in the Irish capital.
There is a perception Wales are on the up. “We seem to be acquiring the kind of depth we haven’t had in certain positions for 30 years or more,” said Phil Bennett this week.
“I look at the back three and there are people queuing up to play. Much the same will apply in the back row when everyone is fit, while we appear to have at least two strong front rows we can put on the pitch.”
Maybe, just maybe, Gatland is doing what he did in 2010-11 and putting together a squad that can be seriously competitive at the World Cup.
In London a week last Saturday, it wasn’t just Gareth Anscombe who transformed the picture. It was the arrival off the bench of George North, Wyn Jones, Tomas Francis, Elliot Dee and Justin Tipuric.
In barely 20 minutes, Jones scrummaged strongly, made eight tackles and put in four carries, winning 13 metres for his side. Francis was also to the fore, while Tipuric achieved a turnover and was prominent in all areas and North embarked on a strong run down the right wing that had home supporters squealing in fright.
Bench warfare matters in the modern game. Win that and a side stands every chance of walking off with the spoils.
That said, Ireland will not be easy opponents.
This week we have seen their coach Joe Schmidt saying his side are short on experience. Fair enough: they have lost three Lions in Robbie Henshaw, Tadgh Furlong and Iain Henderson.
But when you total the caps in the starting line-ups, Ireland boast 604 compared with Wales’s 553.
So the message is not to weep for our fellow Celts uncontrollably.
On the surface, they appear to be