The former England wing Ugo Monye has claimed that Warren Gatland was “ruining players” while Wales head coach with the New Zealander’s departure now confirmed.
Gatland has parted ways with Wales by mutual consent two rounds into the Six Nations after overseeing a run of 14 consecutive defeats stretching back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The 61-year-old returned for a second stint in charge at the end of 2022 but has been unable to recapture the success of his first spell.
Another Six Nations wooden spoon appears to beckon for Wales after defeats to France and Italy, with Cardiff boss Matt Sherratt installed as an interim coach while a search is undertaken for a permanent successor.
Speaking before Gatland’s exit was announced, prominent pundit Monye suggested that the veteran coach had “lost all power” towards the end of his tenure.
Citing the example of fly half Ben Thomas, who usually plays at inside centre for Cardiff, Monye wonders if some of Gatland’s recent selections have been detrimental to the development of a young squad.
“You've got a young fly half in Ben Thomas, who's only started once [at 10] for his club in the last two years. Warren Gatland sees him as a 10. I'm not quite sure,” Monye said on The Sports Agents podcast. “There is obviously not aligned thinking there.
“And then he whips him off after 48 minutes. It was your decision to play him at 10, to back him. You’ve not! You're losing matches and you're ruining players. I don't know how Ben Thomas feels.
“It gets to a certain point where the coach's voice loses all power and you stop listening. That authority, I think, is gone. I reckon the Welsh players have switched off. I've been in those positions, and you're listening to the coach and you're just rolling your eyes.”
Wales take on Ireland in their third game of the Six Nations campaign on Saturday 22 February, before finishing the tournament with fixtures against Scotland and England.
Defeat to Italy in Rome dropped them beneath Georgia to a new low of 12th in the world rankings after a record losing run.
“They've broken their own records, and they found greater depth of their misery,” Monye explained. “And it's sad, because Wales as a national side is so important to rugby.
“14 on the bounce is so woeful. They're going to go back-to-back to win the wooden spoon, finishing bottom within [the Six Nations]. And they've got this coach and Warren Gatland, whose record, unfortunately in his second stint, is just terrible.”
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