Ryan| keo.co.za| March 18th, 2008
Former All Black scrumhalf Justin Marshall says Wales’ progress must be judged in their series against the Springboks.
Marshall, now with Welsh outfit Ospreys, praised Wales for the emphatic manner in which they secured the Six Nations title. He was also liberal in his praise of new coach Warren Gatland, but cautioned that the Springboks could give them a reality check on their mid-year tour.
“Wales under Warren Gatland look a lot less rudderless than last year, they have direction and purpose,” Marshall wrote in his column in The Independent. “But I’d say - and from the noises he has made - Gatland realises that the standard of the Six Nations has been pretty average. Wales go to South Africa in the summer, then in the autumn they play the Tri-Nations [teams], which will be the true test.”
Meanwhile, speculation linking Gatland to the coaching job for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2009 is increasing after his success with Wales. “If there’s a chance to get involved at some level that would be a huge honour but I have to make sure I don’t neglect Wales,” Gatland told BBC.
“I’m not going to get ahead of myself - in the past other coaches have been involved with the Lions and haven’t made their own job with their own nation the number one priority. The Lions take up a lot of time and there’s a lot of politics involved in picking the right team.”
Gatland said he would certainly want his defensive coach Shaun Edwards to be part of the Lions coaching staff should he get the job, and Edwards confirmed that he would be interested.
“I think Warren would definitely go if asked and I’m sure he’d do a very good job,” Edwards said. “I’d like to put my hat in the ring - but not as a head coach.”
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