Official RBS 6 Nations Rugby : Gatland angry after Boks defeat

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Warren Gatland

PA Photos

Gatland angry after Boks defeat

9 November 2008, 2:36 pm

By Catherine Goble

Warren Gatland blew his top after witnessing Wales' latest bout of Tri-Nations torture, and star flanker Martyn Williams revealed: "That was the angriest I have seen him."

Gatland was furious his reigning RBS 6 Nations champions allowed a golden opportunity to pass them by in the 20-15 loss to South Africa.

Wales can reflect on one win in 102 years against the Boks, but they should have turned back the clock to June 26, 1999 and revisited the scene of a famous win.

Gatland's men might never get a better chance to emulate those Welsh heroes of nine years ago - Lions like Scott Quinnell, Allan Bateman, David Young, Neil Jenkins and skipper Rob Howley.

How Howley and Jenkins, half-back partners that afternoon, must have wished they could pull on the red jersey again and played - rather than watched as part of Gatland's coaching staff.

Wales went close, but not close enough, to toppling the World Cup holders.

In 32 Tests against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia since rugby union's professional era dawned more than 13 years ago, Wales have only triumphed twice.

And hard-nosed New Zealander Gatland - maybe unlike some of his Wales coaching predecessors - has no time for heroic failures.

Williams said: "We had a bit of a rollicking, but that is a sign of how far we've come.

"Eighteen months ago, the boys would probably have been patting each other on the back and high-fiving each other after losing by just five points to a team like South Africa.

"We were told in no uncertain terms we should be disappointed with letting that one get away.

"That was the angriest I have seen Warren. He was very animated, and rightly so.

"When the top sides get chances, they put them away, and we didn't. We should be winning games like that one - we did everything bar score a try.

"At the key points, we weren't mature enough and we weren't clinical enough, so it is something we have got to get out of our game."