Gatland looking for best out of his Wales team

Feb 21 2008 by Gwyn Jones, Western Mail

WARREN GATLAND is starting to earn a reputation as the “Tinker Man”. Not satisfied with two straight wins, he is continually changing his team.

Based on their performances against England in what turned out to be a memorable victory, Mark Jones and Alix Popham could believe that they had been harshly treated.

Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t have expected them to be omitted from the side to play Scotland.

Some of the changes made during that Scotland match were also somewhat surprising. Many argue that Wales would probably have won even if Gatland hadn’t taken off his captain and his original half-back pairing during the second half.

However, nothing has quite prepared us for the changes for the Wales v Italy game this weekend. It is evident that squad rotation is the policy and this keeps everyone on their toes and makes the training sessions even more interesting.

When I first heard the team to play against Italy, I couldn’t help be sorry for tighthead prop Adam Jones. He must be aggrieved after being dropped from the squad.

Against Scotland, Jones probably had his best game in a Welsh jersey in his 46-cap career. The Welsh scrum was dominant, he had the team’s top tackle count and he lasted the 80 minutes. Even permitting for the fact that the ball in play time count was down, that was no mean feat for a prop.

To remove Adam Jones from the front row against the Italians is considered a gamble by many who believe Italy’s scrum to be among the strongest in Europe.

I can’t imagine that this fact would have escaped Warren Gatland, who understands the wily ways of the front row, having himself played hooker for New Zealand.

With the Six Nations’ Championship so open this year, there is a real possibility that Wales could finish top and most coaches would have done nothing to jeopardise such an achievement by tinkering with the team.

However, Gatland sees the risk not so much in losing against Italy, but rather in not setting our standards high enough.

Measuring ourselves against a rather ordinary Scotland side and being happy or satisfied in beating them will not bring the continued success that Gatland has been employed to deliver.

The risk that Gatland sees is accepting weaknesses for short-term success – and that’s not a risk he’s prepared to take.

Wales may well lose against Italy because of the changes he has had made in certain key positions, particularly in the scrum.

These changes may well forfeit a Six Nations Championship or even a Grand Slam, but Gatland and his team will see this as a true measure of where we stand and not an exaggerated position of Wales’ ability.

What we don’t want is another false dawn.

However, I do sense we have enough in our armoury to beat the Azzurri in Cardiff. There is enough innate rugby in the players he has picked to outwit the somewhat-manufactured Italian threequarters.

On top of that, Wales have an impressive replacements list and I suspect that this will help secure a somewhat uncomfortable third victory for Gatland.

It may well be very tight, but, even if we lose, at least we know where we stand. We have to understand that Gatland’s true priority at the present time is the four-year cycle leading to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

If these changes have led to agony for one Jones, it may prove to be a beginning of an exciting new chapter for another.

Seeing James Hook starting as a replacement may not please Wales rugby fans. I am also a great admirer of Hook’s unquestionable skills, but I must admit that I’m glad to see Stephen Jones in the No 10 shirt.

He endured an unacceptable amount of criticism during last year’s Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup. Jones is nothing if not fully committed and he has made the most of every morsel of talent that he’s got.

Jones will never be able to do the things that James Hook does on the field – he doesn’t possess the youngster’s guile and flair. However, he has the authority and the presence which comes through experience.

While Hook is learning his trade and honing his unquestionable skills, it is vital that Jones remains a key part of the Wales squad.

I’m sure that Hook will one day provide the leadership qualities that Jones brings, but for the time being, at least, these are attributes he can learn from his rival for the much-vaunted No 10 Welsh shirt.

Gwyn Jones is part of S4C's Six Nations rugby coverage team