By David Williams
Warren Gatland insists it’s business as usual for him as Wales continue to lose and fall further down the world rankings.
Some coaches may have read the room and offered to resign after a 14th successive defeat led to a further drop in the rankings to 12th, a record low.
But despite a deserved 22-15 defeat to Italy in Rome, Gatland was again talking about “working hard” and “staying tight” – just as he has been doing for almost 500 days since he last won a game of rugby.
It is unlikely the Welsh Rugby Union will sack Gatland in the aftermath of another defeat – with three rounds of the Six Nations still to go – having announced they would judge him on the whole tournament at its conclusion.
But anything is still possible for an organisation that announced a “strategy” with no details, followed by an “agreement” with no signatures.
“I know how hard we are working,” Gatland said following his team’s abject defeat.
Warren Gatland’s Wales future under more scrutiny after Italy defeat https://t.co/Tml6g8ULvC
— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) February 9, 2025
“I can understand people’s frustration and we are frustrated and disappointed as well because we created opportunities but we have made mistakes and the penalty count was disappointing.
“As a coaching team and players they are not hard fixes but we need to make sure we focus in those key moments.”
Wales’ performance was picked to pieces by a number of former players, particularly ex-centre Jamie Roberts, who told ITV: “I thought that was one of Wales’ poorest performances over the last 18-20 months.
“I think everyone in Wales was expecting a kick back from the disappointing night in Paris last weekend. Our kicking game at times tonight was schoolboy.
“You just can’t win Test matches, especially in the rain, against a quality Italian outfit who did it far better.”
Dan Biggar, meanwhile, declared that ‘nothing was off the table’ regarding Gatland’s position.
“If you look at the games they have lost in the last 12 months, today was the poorest performance in that run,” the former Wales fly-half said.
“It is hard to say because there are a lot of good people there but it is just not working. Whatever is going on Monday to Friday is not being transferred to the pitch on a Saturday. Wales have Ireland coming to Cardiff in two weeks’ time, they travel to Scotland and welcome England.
“This team looks one that is shot of belief and confidence. We keep getting asked the same questions but what are the answers. I am not quite sure. The curve has been downward.”
Genuinely sad it’s come down to this for Warren Gatland. He is arguably one of our greatest coaches, but what’s happening now is depressing.
Clearly the right man at a certain time – inc. rescuing us from Pivac’s mess.
But he has failed to transition the team into a new era
— Asa Joseph (@AsaFoodAndWine) February 9, 2025
On Gatland’s future ahead of hosting Ireland in a fortnight, Biggar added: “That is for people on a higher pay grade than me to decide. I don’t think anything is off the table at the moment, it can’t be. It can’t carry on.
“It is such a shame because there are so many good people there who have had success previously but clearly what is happening there in the week is not working.”
Wales’ latest flop at a soaking Stadio Olimpico in Rome was their eighth straight defeat in the Six Nations since beating the Azzurri in the Italian capital two years ago.
Gatland has presided over all 14 defeats and his position continues to be questioned after an awful display littered with handling and defensive errors which allowed Italy to build up a big enough half-time lead that they were never seriously threatened after the break.
Probably when you’re under pressure some of your decision-making goes a little bit off-cue in terms of making sure that you’re accurate,” Gatland added.
“You definitely feel the pressure, as a team that hasn’t won for a while.
“You’ve just got to keep working hard and know that at some stage, things are going to click and you’re going to get that bounce back, you’re going to get that call or decision that goes your way,” the 61-year-old added.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada was pleased with the mature way Italy handled both the horrid conditions and the unfamiliar pressure of being pre-match favourites.
The Azzurri won the match in large part due to the superlative kicking of Tommaso Allan as the wet weather stopped them from playing their preferred, more flamboyant style of rugby.
“This was a great win because we weren’t influenced by being favourites… playing in that rain wasn’t easy as we like to play with the ball in hand. It was a real step up for the team,” said Quesada.
“The weather made it a match which hung on discipline… we were pragmatic and didn’t get distracted by playing a type of rugby which isn’t our favourite. I’m really proud of them.”
Italy next host France against whom they played a thrilling 13-13 draw last year, which would have been a shock win had Paolo Garbisi not hit the post with a last-gasp penalty.