Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Anthony Woolford

The highly awkward but inspirational speech Warren Gatland made Wales star give during Grand Slam march

Wales lock Adam Beard has revealed the most uncomfortable part of helping his country win the Grand Slam this season.

It wasn't helping claw back a 16-point half-time deficit in Paris, sporting a black and blue face after the win in Scotland or the pressure-cooker environment of their final-day decider with Ireland.

The most uneasy the 23-year-old towering Ospreys lock felt during the tournament was standing up in Wales' south of France camp and reminding his team-mates he'd never lost a game playing for his country!

Beard told the story in an interview with Rugby World as he outlined the kind of motivational speech methods Gatland uses with the Wales side.

Wales were having a team meeting in Nice between the France and Italy matches and Gatland wanted players to talk about what made them different. He specifically asked Beard and a few other of his unbeaten team-mates, like Aaron Wainwright and Dillon Lewis, to talk about their winning record in the red jersey.

Beard thought it was a prank at first and had to double-check Gatland really meant it.

Adam Beard of Wales sports a shocking black eye after the match in Scotland (Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

Wales Grand Slam hero gives wedding guests a shock as he turns up just hours after playing against Ireland 

He told the magazine: "He (Gatland) came over to say he was going to ask a few boys for their point of difference and that he wanted to hear what we had to say, but to finish he wanted us to say we'd never lost in a Wales jersey.

"I had to ask, 'Are you genuine?' He was! So I said it and I got a bit of stick off the boys for it!"

Gatland's fabled mind games worked as Wales went on to win their remaining four games in the Championship and help the Kiwi to a record a third Grand Slam.

Beard, who played a pivotal part in the success, is clearly seen as some kind of lucky charm by Gatland.

Wales' Grand Slam heroes have all gone on holiday together and met up with a well known face

He has won 13 out of 13 in a Wales jersey and has an extraordinary record in his sights as only two players in world rugby have played more Tests with a 100% win rate.

They are All Blacks, Bristol full-back Charles Piutau (17) and Corey Flynn (15).

The Welsh rugby fixture schedule for 2019/20 as Guinness PRO14 start is delayed amid World Cup  

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.