WARREN GATLAND, the head coach of the Wales rugby team, expressed his enthusiasm as the entire World Cup training squad assembled this week at the Vale HQ in Wales. Until now, the players had been training in smaller groups, but Tuesday marked the official commencement of the next phase of preparations.
In the coming days, Wales will embark on two training camps abroad, starting with Switzerland. Gatland has cautioned the players about the upcoming camp, emphasizing its challenging nature, but reassuring them that not every training session will be brutal. The primary focus of the camp will be to improve the squad’s cardiovascular capacity through high-altitude training, as fitness has been a key priority for Gatland in previous World Cup preparations.
In footage released by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Gatland is seen addressing the players on Tuesday, emphasizing the availability of ample rest periods during the Switzerland camp. The clip begins with Wales team manager Martyn Williams stating, “Obviously it’s day one today of probably the official World Cup camp.”
Huw Bennett, the Head of Physical Performance, explains, “Going into this week, it’s a bit more rugby-focused, but we’ve still got components of conditioning. Just going back to four and a half weeks ago, we said the big focus was increasing our muscle mass going into the Switzerland camp. That’s a big push this week again, alright?”
The film then shows the players engaging in ball work and completing rugby drills. Gatland later addresses the team in the meeting room, expressing his satisfaction with their progress and encouraging them to get excited about the upcoming trip to Switzerland. He acknowledges the toughness of the training but assures the players that they will also have some time off and days off to rest. He highlights the picturesque views of the training locations and urges the squad to enjoy themselves, mentioning Turkey as another destination.
Earlier in the week, the Wales squad underwent some changes. Ken Owens was ruled out due to a back injury, reducing the squad to 47 players. Additionally, Josh Macleod and Will Davies-King were released from the squad due to injuries, while Sam Parry was called up as a replacement. These developments come after the retirements of Justin Tipuric, Alun Wyn Jones, and Rhys Webb, as well as the release of Rhys Carre and the withdrawal of Cory Hill from the squad.
With preparations in full swing and the training squad now complete, Wales is gearing up for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup with high hopes and determination to make their mark on the global stage.
