Rob Howley’s former Wasps team-mate has linked up with the national side as attack coach for the RBS 6 Nations as Wales aim for a first title in four years. Only two weeks remain until the round one clash with Italy in Rome.
The new-look 36-man squad link up for the first time on Monday for a three-day training camp in preparation for the tournament. And King wants to give Wales a license to thrill as bonus-points come into the RBS 6 Nations equation for the first time.
He said: “You always want to get better and that’s the objective of the players and coaches in every game. I can’t wait to work with these players. I’ve never worked with them personally – apart from George at Northampton – but the likes of Dan, Scott, Jamie and Foxy (Jonathan Davies) there’s some great talent there. We want to get the crowd excited about the way we play.
“There were improvements in the autumn but from my point of view I need to make sure there’s absolute clarity about how we’re trying to play, try and simplify things a little bit and make sure we’re asking questions of opposition defences. The bonus points system adds a new incentive for attacking rugby and if we prepare well and attack well, we’ll get those rewards. I just want to get the Welsh crowd excited about the way we play.”
Rob Howley guided Wales to three wins from four Autumn internationals and was in charge when Sam Warburton lifted the trophy in 2013. The Principality Stadium was rocking as Alex Cuthbert completed a 30-3 triumph over England to take the title. And King is hoping a fresh attacking approach can get results and excite the fans.
He said: “The Principality Stadium is an amazing place and our second game against England will be an amazing game but first up is Italy in Rome. I’ve had a lot of Welsh friends texting me about the responsibility for the way we play, but the most important thing is to win. We want to win the games but there’s a certain part of rugby in Wales that you play in a way that inspires and excites supporters whether they’re in the crowd or watching on TV. That’s the duty of the Welsh team.
“We’ve got two weeks before the first game and I’ve had a good chat with a couple of the players this morning to make sure we’re all on the same page for next week because that preparation is absolutely key. The way Wales started in the autumn – we need to make sure that doesn’t happen in Rome because this is Italy’s first Six Nations with Conor and they’re a proud team. It’s a game where we have to make sure we’re spot on.”
