Tourists’ rugby lament

Stop press

8am 12 February

Stop press

Warren Gatland

Cardiff Rugby head coach Matt Sherratt has been appointed as head coach to lead the Wales senior side for the final three matches of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations Championship.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney said she and Warren Gatland caught up after the Welsh loss to Italy.

“We had a conversation and we reached a mutual agreement that this was the best time, and in the best interest of Welsh rugby for him to finish his role.

“We are grateful to Warren for all he has done for the game in Wales. He remains our longest-serving and most decorated head coach in terms of the silverware he has won.”

11 February

Sheila and Robert Davies of Blackwood north of Cardiff were still spitting tacks in Cambridge last week less than three days after Wales lost 43-0 to France in the Six Nations rugby tournament.

Welsh visitors Sheila and Robert Davies in Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

So imagine how they were feeling as they tiki-toured the rest of the North Island on Sunday to hear of the 22-15 loss to Italy?

Visiting Hamilton – birthplace of Welsh coach Warren Gatland – only added to their annoyance the previous week as it was a brutal reminder of the woefulness of Welsh rugby these days.

The couple on a four week visit to New Zealand stopped the night in Cambridge after visiting Hamilton Gardens and the city.

“He should go, he’s not doing us any favours as coach,” said Sheila. “We got no points in the game and that’s the first for years.”

They felt Gatland had done very little to bring players through and should go.

They found the Hamilton Gardens were “amazing” and had no qualms forking out an entry fee for a world-leading experience.

They also were able to take a photo of champion rower Nicola Coles’ plaque in the Sports Walk of Fame in Duke St, Cambridge and send it to their friends in Tauranga.

Other friends in Australia received a photo of the couple in front of the plaque honouring Cambridge’s Melbourne Cup winners.

“We’ve really enjoyed our time here,” they said.

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