Wales’ full schedule for 2015 will see Warren Gatland’s squad undergo intensive training camps in Switzerland, Qatar and Poland as well as face home and away ties against Ireland before concluding their preparations against Italy at the Millennium Stadium.
The rigorous schedule has left no stone unturned in order to ensure Wales arrive at the world’s showpiece tournament in peak condition with leading facilities at home in Wales and across the world utilized.
The programme is the culmination of months of research and planning and WRU head of physical performance, Adam Beard, who also designed the 2011 schedule, is delighted to formally announce the squad’s plans.
“The next year will be an extremely exciting and challenging period for the squad,” said Beard.
“We have developed a rigorous schedule that we believe will give the players the best possible platform at the Rugby World Cup.
“We are working alongside leading experts in Switzerland and Qatar to deliver a leading programme and combined with our facilities at the Centre of Excellence the players will have the best of preparation.”
WRU Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis added: “Warren and his team constantly strive to push the boundaries of performance and excellence and the schedule they have developed will ensure Wales arrive at the Rugby World Cup fully prepared.
“Four years ago the squad reaped the rewards of their intense and extended training programme at the world cup in New Zealand and we will be hoping for the same again come next September and October.
“The WRU has and will continue to provide the best facilities, environment and opposition for our national squad as they continue their quest.”
Gatland will announce an extended training squad in early June, with the players meeting up at the state-of-the-art National Centre of Excellence during that month to be put through their paces to prepare for what lies ahead.
The first training camp will see the squad travel to Fiesch in Switzerland in early July, spending a fortnight at the highly regarded training facility. The squad will base themselves at 2250m for an intensive block of training, working to a stimulus of living at high altitude whilst training at low altitude.
The Wales management team, in particular Adam Beard have been working closely with leading hypoxic altitude physiology expert, Prof. Grégoire Millet to tailor their program and training methodology.
Further punishing training will be undertaken later that month in the heat of Qatar with the squad spending nine days in Doha. Under the guidance of the Aspetar Sports Hospital and training at the world-renowned Aspire Sports Centre, the squad will be pushed in extreme heat that can exceed 40 degrees. The heat training will be combined with altitude methods once again with the players sleeping in hypoxic chambers that can replicate up to 4500m above sea level.
The first of Wales’ warm-up fixtures will take place on Saturday August 8, with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland welcomed to Cardiff.
Gatland and his squad will then travel to North Wales for a training camp at Parc Eirias before returning to the familiar surrounding of Poland for eight days. The squad will return to Spala, the venue for the bulk of their 2011 preparation ahead of the return fixture against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday August 29th.
Wales’ 31-man Rugby World Cup squad will be announced on August 31st with their final warm-up fixture taking place on Saturday September 5th at the Millennium Stadium against Italy.
The squad will then continue their preparations at their home training base ahead of their first RWC 2015 encounter against Uruguay in Cardiff on September 20.
During the pool stage Wales will continue to be based at The Vale Resort on the outskirts of Cardiff as well as at London Irish RFC for their games at Twickenham.
“We are delighted at our schedule for next year,” said head coach Warren Gatland. “We have home and away ties against Ireland as an extended squad and will face Italy with our final world cup party.
“The training camps have been designed to push the limits of the squad and ensure we peak at the tournament. We were very pleased with the results of the 2011 preparation and this schedule not only uses what we learnt back then but builds upon it.
“As we have already outlined, the focus for this season is on next September and the hard work has already begun with the squad undergoing a conditioning focused camp during the Dove Men Series to help build a base ahead of next summer.
“We have spoken at length about the benefits of being together as a squad for longer periods and I’m sure the results will show that come game time at the world cup.”
Wales 2015 warm-up fixtures
(Kick-off times and broadcast details TBC)
Wales v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, Saturday August 8
Ireland v Wales, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Saturday August 29
Wales v Italy, Millennium Stadium, Saturday September 5.
