Wales know a record Six Nations victory over Italy in Rome may not be enough to secure a third Six Nations title in four years, as they trail Ireland and England on points difference, and Warren Gatland has questioned how the fixture schedule is drawn up. The head coach asked why some teams are regularly given less demanding opponents first up than Wales do.
Wales faced England in the first round this year, the seventh time in 16 seasons of the Six Nations the two countries have started against each other. In contrast, Ireland have met Italy seven times on the opening weekend, the same number of occasions France have taken on Scotland.
Wales have opened with Italy and Scotland twice and their record first up, despite playing nine of the 16 matches at the Millennium Stadium, is poor: six victories, four in the Gatland era, and 10 defeats. Their reverse at home to England last month on the first night of the tournament has left them chasing the leaders since and Gatland has questioned why so many fixtures regularly recur on the opening weekend.
“Who is making the draw?” Gatland asked. “The last 16 years have been very tough on England and Wales, while one team has had a pretty easy run [on the first weekend]. I don’t know if it is the broadcasters having an influence or if there should be a rota. It is just when you look through the years and seen who has played who first in the competition, some teams have had easier starts on a regular basis than others. It is a tough tournament to win and a victory in your first game allows you to get a bit of momentum.”
The opening fixtures this year were the same as in 2011, 2005 and 2001 (and 2006, 2008 and 2010 when home advantage was reversed). In contrast, the matches played in the inaugural year of the Six Nations following Italy’s introduction – Italy v Scotland, England v Ireland and Wales v France – have never been repeated, not even with the venues reversed, and they will not be in the next couple of years.
Gatland did not question the decision of the tournament organisers not to have a cup in Rome to present to Sam Warburton, the Wales captain, if the men in red finish first. The three matches on Saturday are staggered, with the Rome encounter the first, followed by Ireland’s visit to Scotland and England’s home game with France. The trophy will be at Twickenham with the replica at Murrayfield.
“If we win the title, we will celebrate our own way,” said Gatland. “We would have some medals to hang round our necks and have to wait 24 hours for the presentation. I don’t think they anticipated three teams going into the final weekend, not to forget France, with a chance of winning the championship. We have to focus on the game and be smart about the way we approach it, accumulating points and opening up later in the match, not getting ahead of ourselves.”
Gatland has made two enforced changes from the side that defeated Ireland last weekend. Both props, Gethin Jenkins and Samson Lee, suffered first-half injuries and the latter will have an operation next week on a ruptured achilles tendon, rated 50-50 to be fit for the World Cup. Wales lack experience at tighthead but Gatland said he would not be asking the experienced Adam Jones to come out of international retirement, although the three-times Lion would be considered if he made himself available.
“ Samson has a six-month injury, but we are confident he has enough time to be available for the World Cup,” said Gatland, who has brought the scrum-half Gareth Davies on to the bench in place of the experienced Mike Phillips to increase the pace of the game in the final quarter. “I am not going to go on bended knees to Adam saying please come back we desperately need you because it is about dealing with other players. I was surprised at the timing of his announcement [before the Six Nations] because he was not out of our thoughts.
“ The fact we had to make changes in the front row influenced our selection elsewhere and there was a long debate about playing Scott Williams [the centre who scored against Ireland]. There is a lot of competition in the squad and, as coaches, we want hard decisions to make.”
Wales team (v Italy)
15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Liam Williams; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Scott Baldwin, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 4 Luke Charteris, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 6 Dan Lydiate, 7 Sam Warburton, 8 Taulupe Faletau
Replacements Ken Owens, Rhys Gill, Scott Andrews, Jake Ball, Justin Tipuric, Gareth Davies, Rhys Priestland, Scott Williams
