Eddie Butler in Auckland 

Rugby World Cup 2011: Wales are as good as their unbounded potential

Eddie Butler: Warren Gatland has found the right blend of youth and experience to bring together a side that could be the nation's best
  
  

Sam Warburton
Sam Warburton's leadership has revitalised Wales at the Rugby World Cup. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

It feels that Wales have come out of the blue. It is almost impossible to believe how short a time has passed – two months? – since even the most optimistic prognostic had them emerging battered and bruised from Pool D for Death and going down bravely in the last eight. And here they are, instead, in the last four, the neutrals' darling of the World Cup, packed with youngsters who know no fear.

How good are they? They do not know because they have never been here before, not in the professional age, not in a semi-final that they can win. They reached this far in 1987 but the outside world knew – and the team probably had an inkling – that the All Blacks they were about to face at this same point played rugby on a different planet.

The game was best summed up by the sight of poor old Huw Richards sitting dazed on the pitch, felled by as good a punch from Wayne "Buck" Shelford as has been thrown on the rugby field. Buck stayed on and Huw shakily found his feet only for the referee to send him off. Wales lost 49-6 and although they went on to win the bronze final – against Australia who were reduced to 14 with the sending off of David Codey – they never captured the imagination of the public like this team of 2011.

Of course, this side has not simply appeared out of nowhere. Its base was laid back in 2008, with a grand slam in the Six Nations. Despite Wales having won a first grand slam in the 2000s, under Mike Ruddock in 2005, the second truly did come as a surprise.

Wales had celebrated 2005, their first grand slam for 27 years, by collapsing into a state of anarchy. Within a season Ruddock had gone, forced out by a mutinous changing room that was under the spell of the assistant coach, Scott Johnson. When the Australian left, Gareth Jenkins took over, a reward for years of bountiful service at Llanelli. The changing room, with Gareth "Alfie" Thomas as captain, remained out of control and Wales departed the 2007 World Cup, defeated by Fiji and with Jenkins sacked in a car park.

Enter Warren Gatland, who immediately got rid of Alfie and introduced his rottweiler, Shaun Edwards, to the dressing room. The new defence coach roared out his orders, barking the troops back into line. Discipline was re-imposed in the defence and the general game was stripped down to some basics that could be managed.

Remarkably, Wales beat England at Twickenham in the opening match of the 2008 campaign and set off on the first adventure of the age of Gatland. Nine of that grand slam team are still here in the 22: Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, James Hook, Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones.

Most of this senior group of players went on the Lions tour of 2009, garnering experience, yet still very much of their time: a bit too sociable on occasions – or antisocial in the case of Phillips; a bit too strong in the changing room, particularly at the Ospreys, where the sense of boundless talent was beginning to fray under the passing of the seasons without a decent run in Europe.

The Six Nations of 2009, '10 and '11 came and went with Wales finishing no higher than fourth. The attempts to develop a game of greater intricacy achieved erratic results. When Wales were good they were very good, but the wheels could come off.

The captaincy changed hands, passing from Ryan Jones to Matthew Rees, as Wales sought to drive home the need for consistency of performance, strength of will. The personnel began to change too. Martyn Williams, persuaded out of retirement by Gatland in 2008 and a beacon of invention in the back row, suddenly found his place taken by another, a wing forward called Sam Warburton.

And suddenly there was a rush. George North appeared. Stephen Jones pulled a fetlock warming up for the game against England at Twickenham and Wales at last had a chance to see what Rhys Priestland, in whom the coaches had been interested for some time, could do.

Rees had to withdraw with a damaged neck and, in a flash of inspiration, Gatland appointed Warburton as his captain, made him the centrepiece in a refashioned back row alongside Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau. Those were the simple changes of cast. What was more striking was the change in determination. The youngsters began to set the agenda, fearless on the field, sensible off it. Not saintly, just sensible.

Those who filled in the gaps between the grand slammers of '08 and the children – Luke Charteris and Huw Bennett, who might have thought their careers had peaked – began to perform like players possessed. They and the newcomers all took instruction from Warburton. He speaks and the rugby world listens. He has cut a remarkable figure in New Zealand.

And how good is his team? Disaster is never far away if you believe the legends of Welsh rugby. Warburton does not do fairy tales. They are tittle-tattle not worth wasting a thought on. He is a man on a mission and he is carrying his team and a nation and the neutrals with him. It may not happen this time, but do not tell him that. He is the son of rugby anarchy, but the father of fearless order. How good are Wales? The best ever.

Top five Wales teams in history

1905 The heart of the first golden age of Welsh rugby, with a 3-0 defeat of unbeaten and unbeatable New Zealand the crowning glory. Teddy Morgan scored the try for Wales, Bob Deans claimed one for NZ, that was disallowed. Rhys Gabe, Gwyn Nicholls, Dicky Owen, Percy Bush – great players. How do I know? Because I was there. Almost.

1952-5 A grand slam in 1952 was followed by victory over New Zealand in 1953, the last time Wales beat the All Blacks. This was the age of Cliff Morgan, of Bleddyn Williams, known as the Prince of Centres, of Ken Jones, RH Williams, Bryn Meredith and Clem Thomas.

1971 The first wave of the 1970s, which could be called the Barry John half. They won the grand slam in 1971 and provided the bulk of the Lions that would win in New Zealand for the first and only time, where Barry was King. Gareth Edwards, John Dawes, Gerald Davies, JPR, Delme Thomas, Dai Morris and Mervyn Davies. Ah ...

1978 The second wave of the 1970s. The Phil Bennett half. This was the last grand slam before 2005 and was achieved by a brilliant team running on empty. Merv and Gareth and Gerald and JPR were still there, and now there was the Pontypool front row spreading a little fear. But it was getting tough. After a cruel final victory in Dublin, Benny looked at Gareth Edwards and they knew they could do this no more. It was the final chapter, until now ...

2011 They say Wales are not good travellers. Well, this is the perfect storm of youth and experience, of coaching wisdom and player confidence. And trust – these players would go to the end of the world for each other. Which is exactly what they have done. Remarkable already, their potential is boundless.

 

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