Warren Gatland has dismissed personal attacks made on him this week in the Irish media as "a joke". The Wales coach, who is making his third rugby return to the country since being sacked as Ireland coach in 2001, arrived on Thursday to find himself compared to a "menopausal warthog" who made his team easy to dislike.

The New Zealander broke with his normal pre-match routine by presenting Wales's final media conference before tomorrow's Six Nations match against Ireland at Croke Park, admitting that he had done so to see if his Irish critics would be bold enough to put their observations to him in person.

"The players have found all this hilarious," Gatland said. "It has been quite funny for us and we have taken it as a bit of a joke that has to be taken with a pinch of salt. That is why I turned up to the media conference. I thought that if people were going to personally attack me they might at least front up in person and say it to my face."

Gatland's chief detractor is Vincent Hogan, the Irish Independent columnist, who ghosted the autobiography of the man who succeeded Gatland as Ireland coach, Eddie O'Sullivan, who was promoted from assistant coach. Gatland felt at the time that he had been outmanoeuvred as he lobbied for a new contract, and when he first brought Wales to Dublin two years ago, in what turned out to be O'Sullivan's penultimate match in charge of the men in green, his only reference to the events of seven years before had been to say: "It is important to have the undying loyalty of those around you."

Last year, Gatland raised temperatures before the game against Ireland in Cardiff by saying his players disliked the Irish more than any side in the Six Nations.

"If you look at anything I have ever said in the past, I have sometimes got myself in trouble because I have given an opinion or told the truth," he said today. "In no way have I ever been personally critical or gone to the lows that one or two people did this week.

"I knew my comments last year would cause a bit of concern, but what surprised me was how much it caused. If I offended or upset anyone I genuinely want to apologise for that. I've had a great association with Ireland, going back to 1989 with Galwegians, and I have a lot of friends in the country. I've had a huge amount of support and had a daughter born there as well. There's nothing negative in my mind about Ireland.

"People talk about what happened in 2001. At the time I was bitterly disappointed with what happened but that's nine years ago, and when I look back on that I think what a fantastic opportunity the Irish union gave me at 34 years of age to coach an international team for four years. That experience in 2001 opened up other doors for me. I had the chances to go to Wasps and go back to New Zealand with Waikato in the Super 14 and now I'm back here in Wales."

Gatland is in his third Six Nations in charge of Wales and it is the first time they will go into the final two rounds of the tournament out of the running for the title. "We have made it difficult for ourselves this year by conceding soft points, especially in the opening half of matches, and we have ended up chasing the game," he said.

"I think we are the only team Ireland haven't beaten at Croke Park in the Six Nations and we would like to keep it that way tomorrow. The last two games have been very close. Ireland were in front at half-time two years ago, and last year it went down to the wire.

"Ireland are very clinical, and when they get opportunities they tend to take them. It doesn't matter who you are playing against, it's a tough tournament, and winning away from home is always special, whether it is against Ireland, England or France, and that is what we are trying to do this weekend. I just think about my job with Wales and wanting the Welsh team to do as well as we can."