Warren Gatland admits he might retreat to the beach with a glass of wine to escape the mounting pressure if he is relieved of his duties as Wales head coach. Wales's losing streak has now reached 10 Test matches, with their last victory dating back to the 2023 World Cup. A defeat against Australia in the upcoming Autumn Nations Series would set a new record for consecutive losses, surpassing the previous mark set in 2002 and 2003 under Steve Hansen. The challenges don't end there; Wales will face world champions South Africa after Australia, followed by a Six Nations opener against France in Paris next year. Several key players, including Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar, George North, Ken Owens, and Gareth Davies, have retired from international rugby in the past 18 months, while Louis Rees-Zammit moved to the NFL. Injuries have also impacted players like Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams. Gatland has introduced over 20 new players since his return for the 2023 Six Nations, but the Test results remain disappointing: 22 matches played, six wins, and 16 losses. When asked about confidence in his project from the Welsh Rugby Union, Gatland stated, “I am probably not the person to ask in terms of those questions. I have been very clear that I am really comfortable with the decisions we’ve made.” He added, “We have tried to point out from the outset that we need to go through some pain. I didn’t think there would be this much pain, to be honest. If a decision is made in terms of what you are talking about, I am more than comfortable with that. I’ve been around the game for long enough. I will probably go back to the beach, have a glass of wine and enjoy myself away from some of the pressure!” Gatland has made four changes for the upcoming match against Australia, with injuries to wing Mason Grady and scrum-half Tomos Williams necessitating replacements.
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