CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Warren Gatland expressed his desire to stay on as Wales rugby coach after making what could prove to be his final team announcement in the role amid a record run of losses in the national side's 143-year history.
Wales has lost 11 straight matches and heads into Saturday’s meeting against back-to-back world champion South Africa in Cardiff looking to avoid going an entire calendar year without winning a test for the first time since 1937.
With his job under huge pressure, Gatland has said he would support any decision taken by the Welsh Rugby Union and didn’t give any assurances when asked Wednesday if he thought he’d still be in the job for the Six Nations starting in February.
“It’s not something I’ve thought about. I’m focused on this week,” the New Zealander said at a news conference. “If you start thinking about other things and going outside and talking about other things, it’s a distraction you don’t need. You've just got to focus totally on preparing the team as best we can.”
Asked if he had a strong desire to continue as Wales coach, Gatland said “absolutely” but acknowledged he understood "the pressures of international rugby and performance and results.”
Gatland has overseen just six wins from 23 tests since returning for a second stint as head coach ahead of the Rugby World Cup last year.
Gatland said he has a “young group that need time.”
“Decisions could be made outside of my control,” he said. "I've asked for a little bit of time — whether we get that time, we'll have to wait and see.”
Gatland has made four changes to the team that started the 52-20 loss to Australia on Sunday, with winger Rio Dyer, flyhalf Sam Costelow, lock Christ Tshiunza and No. 8 Taine Plumtree called up. One positional change saw wing Blair Murray move from the wing to fullback instead of Cameron Winnett.
Costelow replaced Gareth Anscombe, Tshiunza took over from injured Adam Beard and Plumtree came in for Aaron Wainwright.
Wales’ 23-man squad has a total of 334 caps, whereas the Springboks bench alone has 431. Dyer is Wales' most -capped back with 22.
Wales: Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Rio Dyer, Sam Costelow, Ellis Bevan; Taine Plumtree, Jac Morgan, James Botham, Christ Tshiunza, Will Rowlands, Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas. Reserves: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Freddie Thomas, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Eddie James, Josh Hathaway
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Wales coach Warren Gatland watches his team before the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Wales and Australia at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.(AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
PARIS (AP) — France stalwart Gregory Alldritt will miss France's final match in the autumn nations series.
The French number eight was not included Wednesday in coach Fabien Galthie's squad for Friday's match against Argentina at the Stade de France.
Galthie made four changes as France looks to finish a successful campaign in style against the Pumas following convincing wins against Japan and New Zealand.
Aldritt, who has made 51 appearances for France, started against both Japan and New Zealand but was replaced after 48 minutes against the All Blacks. Charles Ollivon will start in place of Alldritt.
“These are not decisions that fall like that, like a guillotine, we discuss with all the players, we tell them about the trends, the current form, our desire also to create emulation in our France group, regeneration, recovery for others," Galthie said. “Gregory Alldritt participated in the two victories against Japan and New Zealand, he is a captain, he is a leader, he is an exemplary player that all the players want to follow. And he will remain so.”
Galthié also left out of his team Romain Buros, who was expected to start at fullback, giving instead a nod to Leo Barre.
Galthie said that Buros did not fully recover from a knock on a thigh and let the coaching staff know he was not fully fit for the match after training with his teammates on Tuesday.
“As we couldn’t wait until Thursday, we had to make a decision, and it was Romain who made it. And Leo Barre is ready,” said Galthie, who kept faith in his halfback pairing of Antoine Dupont and Thomas Ramos.
Prop Uini Atonio, who missed the first two tests, will start as a replacement for the injured Tevita Tatafu.
Number eight Marko Gazzotti was included among the reserves and is likely to win his first cap, and Georges-Henri Colombe returned to the bench.
France lost 33-25 to Argentina the last time they played in July.
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi made just one change to his starting lineup after the tight 22-19 loss to Ireland, with Gonzalo García starting at scrumhalf.
France: Leo Barre, Gabin Villiere, Gael Fickou, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Thomas Ramos, Antoine Dupont, Charles Ollivon, Paul Boudehent, Francois Cros, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Uini Atonio, Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros. Reserves: Julien Marchand, Reda Wardi, Georges-Henri Colombe, Alexandre Roumat, Mickael Guillard, Marko Gazzotti, Nolann Le Garrec, Emilien Gailleton.
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Matias Moroni, Bautista Delguy, Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera, Pedro Rubiolo, Guido Petti, Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya, Thomas Gallo. Reserves: Ignacio Ruiz, Ignacio Calles, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Franco Molina, Marcos Kremer, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Santiago Carreras, Mateo Carreras.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Argentina's Rodrigo Isgro, right, is tackled by Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Ireland and Argentina, at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
New Zealand's Cam Roigard, takes the ball from France's Antoine Dupont, right, and Grégory Alldritt, left, to score his team's second try during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between France and New Zealand at the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
