Dubai Telegraph - Gatland battling 'pain' during tough Wales rebuild

EUR -
AED 3.866955
AFN 72.068071
ALL 97.96268
AMD 410.784813
ANG 1.912938
AOA 960.166791
ARS 1050.977028
AUD 1.628194
AWG 1.895066
AZN 1.800113
BAM 1.951452
BBD 2.143046
BDT 126.837419
BGN 1.957984
BHD 0.396768
BIF 3134.302207
BMD 1.052814
BND 1.418533
BOB 7.334659
BRL 6.108712
BSD 1.061445
BTN 89.497258
BWP 14.401914
BYN 3.473644
BYR 20635.162949
BZD 2.139048
CAD 1.474709
CDF 3016.313099
CHF 0.936552
CLF 0.037221
CLP 1027.051998
CNY 7.626693
CNH 7.636047
COP 4722.441266
CRC 541.992496
CUC 1.052814
CUP 27.899583
CVE 110.019887
CZK 25.285451
DJF 189.010699
DKK 7.458232
DOP 63.927576
DZD 140.602323
EGP 51.954531
ERN 15.792217
ETB 129.54359
FJD 2.396153
FKP 0.831004
GBP 0.831932
GEL 2.874049
GGP 0.831004
GHS 17.14181
GIP 0.831004
GMD 74.749535
GNF 9147.446645
GTQ 8.201727
GYD 222.065261
HKD 8.193407
HNL 26.797298
HRK 7.509998
HTG 139.558415
HUF 407.071782
IDR 16789.442377
ILS 3.937437
IMP 0.831004
INR 88.927393
IQD 1390.422091
IRR 44315.590814
ISK 146.320304
JEP 0.831004
JMD 168.035634
JOD 0.746657
JPY 164.155901
KES 136.076314
KGS 90.938425
KHR 4300.398724
KMF 490.980229
KPW 947.532593
KRW 1478.583067
KWD 0.323877
KYD 0.884542
KZT 523.161902
LAK 23310.28845
LBP 95050.394414
LKR 310.231782
LRD 200.038234
LSL 19.067501
LTL 3.108687
LVL 0.636837
LYD 5.142592
MAD 10.553787
MDL 19.12657
MGA 4952.965296
MKD 61.587323
MMK 3419.500221
MNT 3577.463398
MOP 8.504175
MRU 42.253863
MUR 49.682017
MVR 16.265744
MWK 1840.499554
MXN 21.732343
MYR 4.717137
MZN 67.225692
NAD 19.067591
NGN 1773.445042
NIO 39.062787
NOK 11.757716
NPR 143.221916
NZD 1.79557
OMR 0.405343
PAB 1.061435
PEN 4.022838
PGK 4.266414
PHP 61.952874
PKR 294.912167
PLN 4.338674
PYG 8283.623607
QAR 3.869779
RON 4.976547
RSD 116.989756
RUB 105.284944
RWF 1456.854276
SAR 3.954354
SBD 8.826328
SCR 14.338018
SDG 633.269213
SEK 11.615333
SGD 1.41702
SHP 0.831004
SLE 24.019979
SLL 22076.997306
SOS 606.548671
SRD 37.143033
STD 21791.133205
SVC 9.287441
SYP 2645.227706
SZL 19.073506
THB 36.88328
TJS 11.309365
TMT 3.695379
TND 3.340757
TOP 2.465795
TRY 36.162891
TTD 7.213033
TWD 34.312064
TZS 2805.750792
UAH 43.849907
UGX 3895.321618
USD 1.052814
UYU 44.750301
UZS 13578.747927
VES 48.129878
VND 26741.486679
VUV 124.992245
WST 2.939027
XAF 654.498843
XAG 0.035116
XAU 0.000412
XCD 2.845283
XDR 0.799619
XOF 654.505046
XPF 119.331742
YER 262.98619
ZAR 19.314955
ZMK 9476.595013
ZMW 29.03459
ZWL 339.005819
  • RBGPF

    59.2500

    59.25

    +100%

  • SCS

    -0.3000

    13.37

    -2.24%

  • CMSD

    -0.0200

    24.73

    -0.08%

  • GSK

    -0.4100

    35.11

    -1.17%

  • CMSC

    0.0700

    24.61

    +0.28%

  • VOD

    0.2800

    8.75

    +3.2%

  • RYCEF

    -0.0400

    7.07

    -0.57%

  • RIO

    -0.5800

    60.62

    -0.96%

  • NGG

    -0.7800

    62.12

    -1.26%

  • BTI

    0.1800

    35.42

    +0.51%

  • BCE

    -0.4800

    27.21

    -1.76%

  • AZN

    0.1000

    65.29

    +0.15%

  • RELX

    -0.4700

    46.12

    -1.02%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.24

    +0.15%

  • BCC

    1.4200

    142.55

    +1%

  • BP

    0.4100

    28.57

    +1.44%

Gatland battling 'pain' during tough Wales rebuild
Gatland battling 'pain' during tough Wales rebuild / Photo: Patrick HAMILTON - AFP/File

Gatland battling 'pain' during tough Wales rebuild

Warren Gatland says he "didn't think there would be this much pain" when he returned to coach Wales for a second time as he bids to avoid a record 11th straight Test defeat.

Text size:

A loss against Australia on Sunday would eclipse the sequence of 10 Welsh defeats in 2002 and 2003 under Gatland's fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen.

Joe Schmidt's Australia, who beat Wales twice on home turf in July, arrive in Cardiff on the back of a spectacular 42-37 success against England.

And after that it does not get any easier, with Wales next hosting world champions South Africa, before kicking off the Six Nations against France in Paris early next year.

Wales have been hit by a string of high-profile retirements over the past 18 months, including Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar and George North, and have struggled with injuries.

Gatland has capped more than 20 players since returning for a second stint as Wales coach ahead of the 2023 Six Nations, but he has just six wins in 22 Tests.

It is a far cry from his first spell in charge of Wales, from 2007 to 2019, which yielded four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, and two appearances in World Cup semi-finals.

"We have tried to point out from the outset that we need to go through some pain," he said on Wednesday. "I didn't think there would be this much pain, to be honest."

He said if a decision were made that he was not the man to take Wales forward he would "probably go back to the beach, have a glass of wine and enjoy myself away from some of the pressure".

The New Zealander added: "We have tried to be clear about building and developing this group of youngsters. We know it takes a bit of time. I am well aware you are not always given time.

"It is about results. I have tried to not shy away from that. I understand that. Criticism is part of the job and the role.

"All we can do is keep working hard, as we have been doing as coaches and players. Hopefully, the tide turns pretty soon."

Gatland has made four changes from the side beaten by Fiji last weekend, with wing Mason Grady and scrum-half Tomos Williams both injured.

Williams is replaced by Ellis Bevan, and Scarlets wing Tom Rogers takes over from Grady.

James Botham and Jac Morgan come into the back row alongside Aaron Wainwright.

T.Prasad--DT