When the book comes to be written on England’s World Cup campaign one chapter will dwell on the part played by Warren Gatland in their downfall, but as he savoured qualification from the toughest group in the tournament’s history, the Wales head coach spared a thought for his opposite number at Twickenham, Stuart Lancaster.
Before he started plotting to defeat Australia at Twickenham on Saturday and take Wales through the group stage unbeaten for the first time since pools were increased to five teams, Gatland rang Lancaster having been appalled at the way England’s coach was being savaged in the media following the defeat to the Wallabies that meant the hosts could not finish in the top two of the group.
Asked if he had sympathy for Lancaster, Gatland replied: “Absolutely. There’s a little bit of assassination by the media. Had they taken the three points against us at the end I do not think all this would have been the same. I rang Stuart and he texted back, saying he appreciated the support. I just hope he and his family are OK, that’s more important than the rugby. We’re all in this together, understanding the pressures of professional sport and what we have to deal with.”
Gatland’s has been among the names linked with Lancaster’s job, even though there is no vacancy. The Rugby Football Union started its review into England’s World Cup campaign this week. “I don’t think they can afford me,” he quipped, and even the richest union in the world would balk at the sum in excess of £1.5m the Welsh Rugby Union would demand in return for releasing the New Zealander from the remaining four years of his contract, not that either side has any desire to part company.
Wales qualified early for the quarter-finals despite a crippling injury list that reduced them to only four fit specialist three-quarters and after beating England at Twickenham by soaking up pressure, keeping in touch on the scoreboard through the boot of Dan Biggar and then clinching victory with 10 points in the final nine minutes, they look set to play with less inhibition against Australia.
Gatland has made seven changes, one positional, from the side who defeated Fiji, including three behind the scrum where his options are limited. Gareth Anscombe, the New Zealander with a Welsh mother who joined Cardiff Blues last season hoping to be selected in the World Cup squad, starts at full-back having been called into the 31 as a replacement two weeks ago.
Gatland chose Anscombe at 15 ahead of the fit again Liam Williams – who returns on the left wing with George North moving into the midfield – not least because of his knowledge of the Australia players from his time in the Super 15 with the Chiefs, where he played at full-back rather than his favoured position of fly-half where Aaron Cruden was in residence.
“It was frustrating to miss out on the squad originally because of injury but the prospect of a match like this on the weekend was what I was hoping for when I came to Wales,” said the 24-year old Anscombe. “I have played against most of the Wallabies, including Israel Folau and Bernard Foley, and what marks out Australia sides is that they are always smart in the way they play and make good decisions. We are going to have to be at our best in defence.”
While Wales always knew they would need to be more creative against Australia than against England, they would not have anticipated a testing examination up front. But such was the mess the Wallabies made of England’s front row that Gatland has bolstered his scrummaging unit by recalling the props Samson Lee and Paul James, while two open-side flankers, Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric, feature in the back row to counter Australia’s threat at the breakdown.
Gethin Jenkins has become Warburton’s assistant in the tackle area but he conceded a number of penalties in the scrum against England and Fiji. Gatland said the 34-year-old prop was being rested having in the past been vulnerable to injury after playing three matches in quick succession, but with nine days between Wales’s third and final group matches, the change appears tactical.
Wales have lost their last 10 matches to Australia in a run going back to 2008, Gatland’s first against the Wallabies, and they have been beaten in the last four meetings between the sides in the World Cup, including the three previous occasions when the tournament was held in Europe, but the 2011 semi-finalists are growing in confidence.
“We may have qualified for the quarter-finals but the pressure is not off because we want to finish at the top of the group and get on the road to the final that is a little easier because you get a second seed team,” Gatland said. “We want to throw something a little different to Australia. They have a good defence but there will be opportunities for us to attack.”
