Four years ago, the start of Wales’ World Cup bid was thrown into complete and utter disarray when assistant coach Rob Howley was sent home from Japan for breaching betting rules.
The carnage was absolute. Then Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Phillips flew round the world to manage the mess and front an emergency press conference.
In Bordeaux yesterday (FRI), there was nothing for Wales to worry about off the field, save the searing heat. As temperatures touched 35 degrees, Welsh and Irish fans basked in the sun.
The Six Nations grand slam winners face Romania on Saturday while for Wales, it’s Fiji on Sunday.
Their head coach Warren Gatland is at his fifth World Cup and, rarely for the madcap world that is Welsh rugby, has no off-field drama to distract him right now.
Warren Gatland will be at his fifth World Cup when he leads out Wales in their opener
The Welsh had a disappointing Six Nations and are looking for a more serene World Cup
Still, there is apprehension.
‘I always get nervous. I’d be worried if I wasn’t,’ Gatland said.‘ When you’re nervous about the game or what potentially might happen, it focuses the mind. There’s nothing wrong with that. I see it as a real positive in terms of the players being right on the edge before the game.
They’ll be some nerves before and probably during the game.’
Wales are desperate to get going after months of gruelling fitness work.
‘It’s been fantastic,’ Gatland said.
‘Having that time and preparation and putting some of those things that happened in the Six Nations behind us has been a real positive.’
Earlier this year, Wales won just a single Six Nations match in Gatland’s first campaign back in charge.
His players threatened to strike for the game with England over contractual and financial uncertainty.
There is almost always some sort of off-field drama in Welsh rugby, but this World Cup has been serene to date compared to previous campaigns. There have been no disruptions.
‘We’ve had some issues in Welsh rugby. Hopefully those are behind us now and we can completely focus on this World Cup,’ Gatland said.
In 2019, Wales quickly put Howley’s departure behind them and went on to reach the semi-finals as Gatland followed a Six Nations grand slam with a last-four finish.
Gatland departed the Welsh rugby hot seat in Tokyo, declaring he would be heartbroken if Wales went into the doldrums under his successor Wayne Pivac.
Unfortunately, that is where they went with defeats by Italy and Georgia and now Gatland is back with another miracle the aim.
‘No I didn’t,’ said Gatland this week, when asked if he could have ever foreseen he’d be back in charge of Wales for the 2023 tournament in France.
And yet here he is. Fiji are sure to provide Wales with a more-than-significant test. It must not be forgotten they are the top-ranked team in Pool C, ahead of Wales and Australia.
But there can be no excuses for Gatland and his side. It is down to them to perform now.
Rookie captain Jac Morgan, 23, is the player with the least number of caps in the starting XV though there is a nice blend between youthful exuberance and experience.
Rookie skipper Jac Morgan leads a team which has a good blend of youth and experience
Wales will come up against Fiji and captain Waisea Nayacalevu in their opening pool game
Simon Raiwalui, Fiji’s head coach, lost his star fly-half Caleb Muntz at the start of this week.The remarkable Levani Botia is only fit enough for the bench.
Raiwalui said: ‘When could we ever be called favourites when we’re considered a developing country versus a developed country? We’re confident with our preparation but we never go in thinking we’re favourites to win. We’re humble.’ The thing is, though, Fiji probably are favourites.
Welsh supporters thronging to Bordeaux and looking for a good luck omen may have realised this is the city where their country’s football team started a famous run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals. Gareth Bale helped Chris Coleman’s men to a 2-1 win over Slovakia in June that year.
Morgan and Co will hope to achieve similar success at the same stadium on Sunday.
Wales have stressed they have full confidence in their fitness. It will be tested in the relentless heat, though World Rugby’s sensible decision to introduce water breaks for the opening round of World Cup matches may favour Fiji. Regardless, Bordeaux is set for a cracking weekend of rugby.
‘There’s a lot of confidence within the team that if we get things right, we can go far,’ Morgan said.
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