Wales end testing long season with Australia series defeat

There was a period when you could almost name Gatland’s match-day 23. Those days are gone.

He has had to contend with losing a host of players from Wales’ golden generation and a number of high-profile injuries during the campaign.

Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and now-banned Rhys Webb retired from international rugby before the World Cup, while George North, Dan Biggar, Leigh Halfpenny joined them after the tournament.

Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Tomos Francis, Liam Williams and Gareth Anscombe were missing for the Six Nations.

Faletau, Morgan, Anscombe and Adam Beard were also absent during the summer tour because of injury, while Ryan Elias, Josh Adams and Will Rowlands were rested and Francis continued to be absent after moving to play club rugby in France.

So Gatland has been without some of his top players for long stints and has used 64 players in the 16 internationals this season.

The Wales head coach fielded a starting forward pack of just 112 caps in the final game against Australia, 23 fewer than the Wallabies skipper James Slipper.

Gatland has baffled some with his selections, including the continued omission of Morgan Morris and Nicky Smith and decisions such as playing Mason Grady out of position at inside centre.

He is determined to stick with his policy of blooding young players who have little experience of Test rugby or winning at that level.

Bath prop Archie Griffin remarkably made his first professional start in Wales’ first-Test defeat by the Wallabies in Sydney.

Gatland has asked for patience from the Welsh public and maintains Wales will develop into a very good side and there have been some encouraging signs in Australia.

He claims other nations would not want to face them in the 2027 World Cup, citing a forward pack including the likes of Griffin, Lake, Morgan, Aaron Wainwright, Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza coming into their prime.

Short-term pain for long-term gain has been the recurring message.