Anyone else want Wayne Pivac back?
The Welsh confidence is well and truly back. There is buoyant belief of a semi-final where there is even talk they can be the ones to dismantle the Irish juggernaut.
12 months ago Pivacs beleaguered Welsh side fell victim to home defeats to Italy, Georgia and a remarkable comeback from Australia.
Now the picture looks totally transformed. Gatland has completely rejuvenated the side and brought an air of control and determination to the group. The older players, Biggar, Falateu, North look reinvigorated and seem far more invested in the success of this team. Gatland knows what makes them tick.
I wrote about Gatlands fitness obsession before the tournament, and that has born true, each of their four victories so far has been built upon energetic, rock hard defence, with a fresh intensity in attack. Gatland hasn’t reinvented the wheel, he knows this sides strengths and he knows them well.
Welsh fans, rightly, feel pretty happy currently. An underperforming Argentina awaits them in a quarter final meaning a semi final beckons for the third time in four tournaments. But crucially that’s as far as they have ever got.
There's always talk about the Irish voodoo of having never won not Quarter Final, but should the Welsh receive as much stick for the semi-finals being their pinnacle? Yeah yeah, I know they talk about "punching above their weight" but surely all their semi final losses were winniable?
In 2011, they had come off the back of a huge QF win against the Irish only to falter to a famously poor French side who had lost to Tonga in the same tournament.
Then in 2015, they came off the back of a momentous pool stage knocking England out, then faced an ageing South Africa team, who lost to Japan in Brighton, and lost narrowly again.
And the picture was repeated again in 2019, where admittely the South Africans looked unstoppable in the final in Yokohama against England yet in the semi-final v Wales, it was only a kick by Pollard which was the difference.
The semi-final curse, isn’t spoken about but I am sure its on Gatlands mind. So what’s stopping Wales this time going one better and reaching a world cup final? If all the Welsh fans are getting ahead of themselves, so should all of us?
They have a great mix of youth and experience, a energetic and a ferocious game plan, and they now have the confidence to beat anyone. Simply put, the belief is there, but is the ability?
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