"It will be a challenge"- Former Wales wing Mark Jones backs Warren Gatland's replacement to step up for the Six Nations
02/13/2025 05:39 AM
On Tuesday, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that Warren Gatland had left his role as Wales head coach by mutual agreement, and Cardiff Rugby's Matt Sherratt will steer the ship for the remainder of the Six Nations.
Sherratt, who had the call on Monday evening, will continue to work with Cardiff this week as they prepare for Connacht Rugby on Saturday and will have only four sessions with the Welsh squad leading up to the Ireland game.
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The former Wales international, now Ospreys head coach Mark Jones, was included in the Grand Slam-winning 2008 squad under Warren Gatland. However, the 45-year-old knows about stepping up into the Welsh setup as he supported Rob Howley in the 2012 Autumn Internationals for Wales.
Then in 2013, he became the interim attacking head coach for the Six Nations and later that year, he joined Robin McBryde on the 2013 tour of Japan.
"I got brought in to support Rob Howley as it was at the time," said Jones, speaking at the pre-match press conference for the Ospreys United Rugby Championship game against Leinster on Friday evening.
"They (Wales) were coming off the back of some pretty poor results when I went in there. I can feel the similarities around Matt, but what an opportunity and that campaign ended up a really successful one.
"I think we won it on that particular occasion, but that's not up for grabs at the moment. I definitely think Matt can have a positive impact on the group, and I'm sure the players will be excited about getting stuck in and trying some new ideas out."
Jones on the good old days with Gatland in charge
"We just need to remember Gats for the four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and semi-finals (Rugby World Cups), and the impact that he had on the Welsh team when he took over for the past 10-15 years," said Jones.
"Unfortunately, it's like the old saying, all good things must come to an end and sometimes they don't end as positively as you would've liked. He's put his heart and soul into it over the last couple of years, done the best he possibly can.
"It's run its course and obviously now let's hope the next guy gets the similar type of success."
"Pieces are scattered out at the moment"- Jones on Welsh Rugby
"I know that the board have been working behind the scenes with themselves with the regions trying to come to a new agreement, and obviously that's another strand to the puzzle, and the pieces are scattered out at the moment, aren't they.
"We just need to get a big picture view from the WRU on what they want Welsh Rugby to look like and then myself as a regional coach I can look at the pieces that I am holding, and I can help put those pieces together for the best of Welsh Rugby.
"I think once we see what that looks like, we can all start aligning those pieces so everybody in Welsh Rugby is clear on where we need to be, competing in every game and competing to win stuff.
Sherratt as the new interim head coach of Wales
"It's great for Matt, what an opportunity to coach Wales," added Jones.
"It's a hell of a privilege, and being a passionate Welshmen you know it's an amazing job, he'll have great people to work with. The players will be hungry to get stuck into his philosophy and his ideas.
"Well done to him, but it will be a challenge because he hasn't even picked the squad of players really has he. He's inherited a group of players that were selected by somebody else.
"He's going to have a vision in four training sessions on how he wants the game to be played and how he thinks he can set the boys up to win. So it's really difficult, but he'll be excited by it.
"He's obviously thought it through, and he thinks he can help and we'll be supporting him as regional coaches as best as we can," concluded Jones.
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