7msports > Rugby Video > Gatland: Irish are Six Nations favourites

Gatland: Irish are Six Nations favourites

Wednesday, January 20 2016 by SNTV
  • Wales head coach Warren Gatland shares plans for the future of his side after he announces the 37-man Six Nations squad.

    SOUNDBITE: (English) Warren Gatland, Wales head coach:

    "If you look at the squad, apart from probably a couple of the loose head props, I mean most of the squad should be around in 2019, so you know we're in a pretty healthy state at the moment in terms of experience and the squad continuing to develop as a team. So you know we're pretty excited about where we are at the moment.

    "The two wildcard players that we were able to pick at the moment are Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland, no one else has [been] restricted from selection at the moment and that policy has kicked into place and we've been able to pick two wildcard players and those two players have taken up the spots.

    "I think we're in a good place at the moment, we've got some players that are coming back from injury. Obviously we've still got one or two players that picked up injuries during the World Cup, but I think 31 of that squad were involved in the World Cup. So there is a lot of continuity and I think we go into this tournament with a lot of confidence and the self-belief that we can have a good tournament. The first-up game against Ireland is obviously massive for us away from home and if we can get a victory there then that sets us up hopefully nicely for the home game against Scotland. So our whole focus is on Ireland away and it is going to be an incredibly tough game, but we've been traditionally pretty slow starters in this tournament, so we know how important it is that we do start well.

    "Yeah, I mean I think that one of the things about the Irish is that they would like to go in with people writing them off. They have won the [Six Nations] championship for the last two years, so they have to go in as favourites."

Attention: Third parties may advertise their products and/or services on our website.7M does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of their contents.
Your dealings with such third parties are solely between you and such third parties and we shall not be liable in any way for any loss or damage of any sort incurred by you.