We must handle pressure of favourites’ tag – Gatland
WALES head coach Warren Gatland wants his players to show they can handle the pressure of being favourites for tomorrow’s clash against Australia.
Despite suffering 13 successive losses to the Wallabies, Wales are fancied in many quarters to end that run this weekend.
While Wales are on a six-match winning run against all opponents this year, Australia have claimed just three victories from 10 starts in 2018.
“We are disappointed with the run of losses we’ve had against them,” Gatland said. “But if you look at how close a lot of those games have been, I think there’s been something like seven points, the difference between us and them on average over that period.
“This game is important for the next 12 months. It is not the most important, the pool game at the World Cup (next year) is going to be the most important one.
“This will definitely be important from a confidence point of view, and yes, it’s been well-documented that they are under different sorts of pressures than we are, but the pressure for us is being favourites and being able to handle it.
“The one thing about Australian teams is that you write them off at your peril. They are competitors in whatever sport.”
As revealed in yesterday’s Western Mail, Gareth Anscombe has retained the Wales fly-half role ahead of Dan Biggar, while Worcester wing Josh Adams also starts, with Biggar’s fellow British and Irish Lions back Liam Williams joining him on the bench.
If Biggar gets on this weekend it will be only his second Wales appearance as a replacement in his last 41 Tests.
In two other changes from the side that beat Scotland 21-10 last weekend, prop Tomas Francis replaces Dillon Lewis and
lock Adam Beard is preferred to Cory Hill.
Reflecting on the fly-half decision, Gatland added: “It wasn’t about being a close call.
“We know what a quality player Dan is, we know what his strengths are.
“It was sending a message to Gareth that we didn’t want to just pick him for one game and then put him on the bench.
“It wasn’t really a difficult selection decision for us. It is not about creating a press hype about a big decision about leaving Dan Biggar out, it is about us thinking about what is important for the team now and building depth in the squad and thinking about the next eight to 10 months.
“We’ve looked after him (Biggar) this week because he’s had a little bit of a back strain, so he hasn’t taken a full part.
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Warren Gatland picked a Wales team that surprised many for Saturday’s clash against Australia and then set about explaining his thinking at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Here’s what he had to say after naming his side...
Can you give your thinking with the selection of Josh Adams over Liam Williams?
WG: I think there are a few things to realise in terms of the consideration of the team. One, there is some continuity from last week and two, we wanted to reward the boys that toured in the summer.
Josh had a particularly good tour and we wanted to give him another opportunity.
We know the capabilities of Liam Williams and Josh getting an opportunity against a quality side like Australia gives us another chance to look at him.
We’ve talked about creating depth and competition within the squad and that’s why those guys have been picked in those positions.
Gareth has retained the 10 jersey, Tomos Francis has come in and Adam Beard gets an opportunity, it is trying to be consistent and also sending a message to the players who went in the summer that their performances will be rewarded and it is about creating depth and competition within the squad as well.
Was it a close call at 10?
WG: It wasn’t about being a close call. We know what a quality player Dan is, we know what his strengths are. Again, it was sending a message to Gareth that we didn’t want to just pick you for one game and then put you on the bench.
For some players, feeling like they are getting an opportunity to get a few games under their belts, we will get a better performance out of them rather than a player coming in, feeling he has just one chance and he tries to overplay and ends up making mistakes because he is trying to impress too much.
It wasn’t really a difficult selection decision for us.
It was one about giving Gareth another opportunity at this level.
It is not about creating a press hype about a big decision about leaving Dan Biggar out, it is about us thinking about what is important for the team now and building depth in the squad and thinking about the next eight to 10 months.
Dan Biggar is a competitive guy, how has he taken it?
WG: Yeah he’s been fine. There will be other players in the squad probably more disappointed than he is at the moment.
We’ve looked after him this week because he’s had a little bit of a back strain so he hasn’t taken a full part in contact.
I’ve had a frank conversation with some of the other players in the squad who are more than disappointed about not being involved in being selected.
It is a great position to be in because I expect them to be disappointed, I expect them to be unhappy about being left out of the squad.
That just shows that we have done what we said we wanted to do, building strength depth in the squad and some real competition.
Those players that haven’t been involved in the first two games I have said they will definitely be involved against Tonga next week.
Adam Beard getting a start... what are his attributes that you like?
WG: Well, you can’t coach someone to be 6 ft 8 and 19 stone, that helps for a start.
Look, he is a player for the future, he has got some real skills. He’s a good lineout forward, he’s just going to get better and better.
It is a position where we want to create depth.
Jake Ball is coming back after being unfortunate in having had injuries over the last year or two, Alun Wyn Jones isn’t going to get going forever, Brad Davies has had knee problems so Adam gets a real chance at this top level. Again, he’s another player who impressed us in the summer and we want to see him at the next level.
An unchanged back row... how much of a battle is it going to be at the breakdown?
WG: I thought we did a good job on (Hamish) Watson last week. He’s caused problems against us in the past and has a reputation at the breakdown. We’re very conscious of that area of the game. We know the threat of Hooper and Pocock on the ball.
We need to make sure we have very limited separation between the ball carrier and the player cleaning out. We have been working on that and hopefully we can make another step up.
I thought our contact work was very good last week. We didn’t make a lot of turnovers in the game and neither did Scotland really.
So we need to make sure those aspects of our game are good.
We need to improve our kicking game and some discipline as well and
those are the things that the players have been working on this week.
You’re favourites, are the players comfortable with that?
WG: I think in the past, we haven’t been great starters in the autumn.
It’s tough when you haven’t been together for four months and you normally come up against either an Australia, South Africa or New Zealand, who have just come off a Rugby Championship. It is not the easiest thing in the world.
Plus, there is a lot of expectation. The fact we have that first game under our belt, we have a win, we have some confidence, hopefully we’ll be a lot better from that performance last week to take on Australia..
We’re disappointed with the run of losses we’ve had against them.
But if look at how close a lot of those games have been, I think there’s been something like seven points the difference between us and them on average over that period, less than a score in it on most occasions.
They have all gone right down to the wire. Unfortunately, in some of those we have conceded points in the final minutes having been ahead.
This game is important for the next 12 months.
It is not the most important, the pool game at the World Cup is going to be the most important one.
This will definitely be important from a confidence point of view and yes it’s been well-documented that they’re under different sorts of pressures than we are, but the pressure for us is being favourites and being able to handle it.
There’s a lot of expectation within the squad and you can tell with the players, having had the game last week, we pushed the players hard in
the first couple of weeks, it seems to be a real mood in the squad and a certain amount of confidence.
Are there two teams here moving in different directions?
WG: I’m not too worried about what they are doing, I am just concentrating on ourselves
The one thing about Australian teams is that you write them off at your peril. They’re competitors in whatever sport. They realise the pressure that is being put on them in terms of coming up to the northern hemisphere and having successful autumn campaign.
That is pretty evident that is the message that is being delivered to them. We are aware of that, but we can only control what’s in front of us and our own preparation and look forward to us building over the last eight to 10 months.
What did you make of the Aussie selection?
WG: It’s a pretty strong team. I think they’ve picked their strongest team.
They’ve made a few changes, but I think it’s a sign of respect and one that this Welsh team have earned over the years.
Teams used to be comfortable putting out second string sides against Wales, they don’t do that anymore, they come fully loaded and Australia are fully loaded for Saturday.
There is going to be a good crowd, the roof is closed and hopefully a great atmosphere with two teams looking to play rugby.