Warren Gatland has named the Wales players who have impressed him the most during his three years away from the job
Gatland has sensationally returned to the head coach role he held between 2007 and 2019, with the Welsh Rugby Union announcing he will be in charge for the 2023 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup, while he could even stay until 2027.
The three-time Lions coach oversaw four Six Nations titles and three Grand Slams with Wales during his first 12-year stint and has kept a close eye on the Welsh game during his time away from the job.
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The 59-year-old was on punditry duties for Amazon Prime Video during Wales' miserable autumn international campaign, when they won just one of their four Tests and lost to New Zealand, Australia and Georgia.
But despite those results, which ultimately led to Wayne Pivac being relieved from his duties 10 months out from next autumn's World Cup in France, a number of players left their mark on Gatland.
He namechecked the Ospreys trio of Gareth Anscombe, Jac Morgan and George North as three of them.
Anscombe, of course, was Wales' starting fly-half when they won a Grand Slam in Gatland’s last term in charge in 2019, and the coach made no attempt to hide how much he felt they had missed him at the World Cup later that year after he picked up a bad injury in a warm-up game against England.
Morgan, meanwhile, has burst onto the international scene and emerged with credit during the autumn having been dropped over the summer, and North is has settled well into his new position of centre having moved from the wing.
Asked about what impressed him during the autumn, the returning Wales coach said: "I thought Anscombe was excellent in playing to the line and getting the ball moving.
"Jac Morgan was excellent. The loose forwards are there. There are some positions where there’s not so much depth.
"George North looks set in his position. There are a few holes that need to be filled. The age profile of the group and I need to be cognizant of that, whether players can be managed through another 12 months. There’s a lot to go through.
"But if we can build on that first 40 minutes against Australia, although I’m mindful they were down 24 players, there were some promising signs."
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