The announcement that Warren Gatland will continue as head coach of the Welsh rugby team for the upcoming Six Nations tournament in 2025 has elicited mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike. This decision came despite Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney revealing that Gatland’s position had been precariously “on the line.” The continuation of Gatland, who is now 61 years old, comes at a time when the Welsh national team is facing significant challenges, having suffered through what can only be described as a dark period in the country’s rugby history.
Under Gatland’s management, Wales has experienced an unprecedented streak of poor performance, facing 12 consecutive Test match defeats, which marks the lowest point in their 143-year journey in international rugby. These troubling statistics have raised questions among supporters about the head coach’s ability to turn the team’s fortunes around. The WRU’s executive director of rugby, Nigel Walker, has resigned, further complicating the leadership situation. However, in the midst of these drastic changes, Gatland’s contract, which runs until the 2027 World Cup, remains intact.
Looking ahead, Wales will kickoff their Six Nations campaign against France in Paris on January 31, followed by a clash with Italy on February 8. This tournament is seen as crucial not just for Wales’s position in the Six Nations, but also for Gatland’s future. Namely, Tierney has indicated that performances in the upcoming matches will be closely scrutinized. There have been discussions about a review into the team’s performance, particularly following disappointing losses to established teams like Fiji, Australia, and South Africa during the autumn.
In the wake of their dismal performances, Tierney relayed to the WRU board that Gatland’s position was seriously under consideration during the review process. She emphasized that like any head coach in any sporting arena, Gatland’s security in his role is closely tied to how well the team performs on the pitch. While there remains faith in his leadership, Tierney acknowledges that circumstances could necessitate further changes depending on how the team fares in the upcoming games.
Despite his historical successes—most notably leading Wales through a successful 12-year stint before stepping away in 2019—his second tenure has not yielded positive results. Replacing Wayne Pivac in December 2022, Gatland has overseen only six victories against 18 losses across 24 Tests, yielding a disappointing win rate of just 25%. The last win recorded by Wales was against Georgia during the 2023 World Cup pool stages, preceding a loss to Argentina that knocked them out of the competition.
The 2024 Six Nations was particularly challenging; Wales finished at the bottom of the standings for the first time in over two decades and suffered a record-breaking 11 losses throughout the year—an unthinkable sequence for a nation so rich in rugby tradition. This alarming trend has seen Wales drop to 11th place in the World Rugby rankings, a significant decline from when they topped the rankings before the 2019 World Cup.
Nevertheless, Gatland appears to be rallying behind his team, expressing appreciation for the continued support from the WRU’s board and pledging his commitment to revamping the squad’s performance. He stated that the team has immense potential and he would work tirelessly to improve their results moving forward. With the spotlight firmly on their performance, his next challenge will be to restore Wales’s competitive edge during the 2025 campaign.
Additionally, the WRU has committed to implementing key recommendations from the recent review, which includes potential changes to Gatland’s backroom team ahead of the Six Nations. Tierney plans to evaluate and transform the high-performance structure within the WRU, a move prompted by Walker’s resignation. This strategically aligns with appointing a new high-performance advisory panel, which will be instrumental in enhancing the overall standards at the organizational level, especially benefiting the women’s high-performance game.
As the Welsh squad gears up for the Six Nations, the coming months will be pivotal in determining both Gatland’s future and the trajectory of Welsh rugby as a whole.
