Warren Gatland 'visibly emotional' as he breaks silence on Wales departure

Wednesday, 19 February 2025 at 11:19

byRugby Rucker

Warren Gatland's second spell as Wales boss is officially over. After kicking off 2025 with back-to-back defeats against France and Italy, the Welsh Rugby Union confirmed on Tuesday that Gatland has left by mutual consent.

Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Those losses extended Wales' miserable losing streak to 14 straight Test defeats – their worst-ever run.

Who steps in?

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt will take over as interim boss for the final three rounds of the Six Nations, hoping to salvage some pride from a disastrous campaign.

Gatland's exit marks the end of a rollercoaster return to Welsh rugby. During his first stint (2007-2019), he delivered three Grand Slams, took Wales to two World Cup semi-finals, and oversaw a 14-match winning streak that briefly made them the No.1 team in the world. But his second coming has been anything but a fairytale.

"Almost dreading the game" – Gatland opens up

In a brutally honest farewell, Gatland revealed that his trademark self-belief had faded, admitting he no longer felt the excitement before big games.

"In the past, I’ve gone into games always nervous but excited," he said. "Recently, I’ve been going into games nervous, not feeling that positivity, almost dreading the game and the negativity that follows."

Gatland, 60, said stepping away was "the best decision" for Welsh rugby and hinted that even his wife Trudi agreed it was time to move on.

"I was the fall guy"

Gatland didn't shy away from the pressure he faced as the losses piled up. "Everything was directed at me – selection, game plan, the way the team played," he said. "I’m quite happy to take all of that criticism and be the fall guy."

His departure, he suggested, was about giving everyone – players, coaches, and the WRU – "a bit of breathing space."

Former players turned critics

It wasn't just the media and fans piling on the pressure. Gatland took aim at former players who publicly questioned his decisions, branding their criticism "disappointing."

"I felt a huge amount of negativity from the Welsh press," he said. "I just kept thinking, 'Where is someone in my corner?'"

He also revealed that one particularly vocal critic received a frosty reception from the current squad when they showed up at a training session.

What's next for Gatland?

Gatland plans to take a break to "recharge and be around positive people," but he hasn't ruled out a return to Test rugby. In fact, the Kiwi coach admitted he'd be "excited" to help another team prepare for the Rugby World Cup in the future.

UPDATED: Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations

The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.

This international blend underlines rugby’s global nature, with some nations leaning on overseas-born talent more than others. Ahead of round two, we've broken down the squads – and Scotland lead the way by a mile when it comes to foreign-born players.