Warren Gatland is the Floyd Mayweather of rugby after Six Nations mastermind
The Wales boss masterminded their heroic Grand Slam and that brings comparisons to some of sport's great tacticians
WARREN GATLAND is like the Floyd Mayweather of rugby after delivering a knockout Six Nations Grand Slam.
The Wales boss put a lot of pressure on those boys saying they would win it before a ball was kicked and that they had forgotten how to lose.
He talked it up all Championship and the players delivered in a ruthless way.
As a player, it does put pressure on you, but it’s quite a good psychological thing if you talk it up and deliver — because you then look untouchable.
That is why everyone loves guys like Mayweather and Conor McGregor in sport.
But when you don’t deliver, like McGregor against Khabib, everyone will pile in and be after you.
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That is why it’s a dangerous tightrope to walk.
But Gats wanted to put the pressure on his side before a World Cup and use the Six Nations as a testing ground.
And to show that ability, to finish like they did and do the Slam at home against Ireland, they are in heaven.
We won ours away in France, it’s great, but we would have rather done it at Twickenham and blown the roof off the stadium like they did in Cardiff.
It’s not an amazing brand of rugby, but one that is backed up by a brilliant defence and the ability to finish under pressure.
They are able to win dirty and close games out, which England haven’t been able to.
I also look at their skipper Alun Wyn Jones, someone I grew up playing against in the England and Wales youth ranks — even though he likes to think he’s younger than me.
What an achievement.
To play 125 times for your country, nine Lions Tests and win a Grand Slam in your home stadium, it’s a fairy tale and he has had a dream career.
I have so much respect for him and a little bit of jealousy as well.
To add a World Cup to all that is a whole different kettle of fish though.
That will come down to who is able to cope with being away from their families and in a new environment for two months — and deal with the pressure and play winning rugby.
But out of all the coaches I have worked with, Gatland specialises in that.
He has done it with Lions tours and he did it this Championship by winning ugly and they have to be contenders in Japan.
I didn’t even factor them in for this Six Nations and I’ve now got egg on my face — especially after watching England against Scotland.
I think that it’s really disappointing.
After last year I know this was the game all the boys were most fired-up for.
You could see how much it meant to them and they looked incredible but Scotland came screaming back.
Mentally, when England are right they are unbelievable and have looked another level.
It was pie in the sky that they would ever cough-up that 31-0 lead.
And yet Scotland roared back to go 38-31 ahead.
In the past England might have let the emotion get the better of them but — thanks to some patience, execution of roles and George Ford’s try — they got the draw at 38-38.
What England have shown is an attacking flair and style better than even when we were on that amazing 18-game unbeaten run.
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The variety of different ways of play, the handling, the offloads are really positive and the physicality of defence has gone up a level.
That difference between New Zealand and other teams is that the All Blacks have the ability to win at all costs.
England don’t have that yet but it will come, I am sure.
Coach Eddie Jones will replay every single moment of this Six Nations tournament.
From how they prepared, what they ate, where they stayed, how they travelled, when they trained, the game plans — he will leave no stone unturned . . .
He will come up with the answers and solve it.