Gatland hailed for Wales' glory days

CARDIFF, Wales -- Coach Warren Gatland deserves all the credit for transforming Six Nations champions Wales' rugby fortunes, according to one of the Principality's playing legends.

Gareth Edwards, who starred for Wales and the British Lions in the 1970s, hailed New Zealander Gatland in the wake of Saturday's 29-12 victory against France -- which clinched the Red Dragons' second Grand Slam in four years.

Gatland took over a demoralized squad which failed to reach the knockout stages of last year's World Cup in France, and managed to persuade influential former captain Martyn Williams to come out of a short-lived retirement while adding Wasps assistant Shaun Edwards to his coaching staff.

Wales' standing on the world scene had plummeted following the 2005 Grand Slam triumph under coach Mike Ruddock.

Ruddock surprisingly stood down "for personal reasons" after only two matches of the 2006 Six Nations, and his full-time successor Gareth Jenkins was sacked last October following a record of only six wins from 20 matches in charge.

Former Ireland and London Wasps head coach Gatland was lured back to the northern hemisphere after a two-year spell with his native Waikato province, and the start to his stint in charge brings back memories of his compatriot Graham Henry -- who led Wales to 10 successive victories.

Henry, however, had fallen out with the Welsh establishment by the end of his four-year reign in 2002 and departed after a run of poor results.

Edwards is confident that Gatland, with a record of five wins from five matches ahead of this summer's tour of South Africa, is the right man to keep Wales on top.

"Warren has turned more or less the same squad into Grand Slam champions," Edwards told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek.

"It sounds easy and it looks easy, but Warren has been the difference between us being out with the empties and being up there and really enjoying this success.

"It is extremely special, especially after the position we found ourselves in at the World Cup.

"They performed well beyond our imagination. I didn't foresee Wales being crowned Grand Slam champions. But they deserve it and they've earned it.

"I thought it would be a mixture of results this season, but Wales have been the most consistent side in the Six Nations. There seems to be a new-found confidence, and people seem to have their feet on the ground. Nothing appears to faze them.

"There's a confidence and a structure in the side, and everyone seems to know what they have got to do - and they are prepared to work extremely hard to do it."

France lost their two-year grip on the Six Nations title in their first campaign under coach Marc Lievremont, who took over from Bernard Laporte after Les Bleus finished fourth at their home World Cup.

France finished only third behind on points difference, having won both three and lost two matches, but winger Julien Malzieu insists that it was a good result for such a changed squad.

"Third out of six - that isn't too bad for a team that is just starting to be built," the Clermont-Auvergne flyer said.

"We have only had a month and a half to prepare ourselves, and there has been a ceaseless turnover -- players coming and going from a lot of clubs -- and it is clearly not easy to create a squad like that.

"I think, on the whole, we have pulled together really well, even if we could have done a lot better against Wales. In any case, I am happy with how the players have done and with the atmosphere in the group. Everything has gone well, and I think it is a good omen for the future." E-mail to a friend

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