The celebrations that started after Wales beat Ireland 25-7 at Principality Stadium on Saturday, claiming a record fourth Six Nations Grand Slam, continued in Cardiff Bay, with Gatland and Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones taking centre stage.
Click here to watch the stirring rendition of ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’ from the Senedd last night.
“He entered the room with a Grand Slam and will leave the room with a Grand Slam. He brings out the best in us,” Jones told the crowd.
Jones became the 13th Welsh player to win three Grand Slams at the weekend, while Gatland became the first coach in northern hemisphere rugby history to mastermind a hat-trick of clean-sweeps. Now he has his sights on winning the World Cup in Japan before ending his 12 year coaching stint in Wales.
“There was no way to go but up when I arrived. I’ve loved every minute here, you people have been so friendly, welcoming – Thank you very much,” Gatland told the crowd.
“We’ve got a very special group of players at the moment. We enjoy each other’s company, we challenge each other on a lot of things, but once we make a decision we back each other 100 per cent.
“I promise you that these guys will give 100 per cent in every game at the World Cup and, if we play as well as we have for the last year, then we can bring home the World Cup.
“I know that these guys won’t go down in any match without a fight. You need a little bit of luck and hopefully we don’t pick up too many injuries.
“We’ll have a few months preparation and, as we have in the last few World Cups, we’ll be one of the fittest teams, if not the fittest, there. There’s some real depth, some real competition in this squad and that makes it tough on us as coaches.
“There are some real quality players that will miss out on the 31-man squad. I assure you that we’ll go there with some confidence and belief that we can have a great tournament.”
With speculation rising as to what jobs Gatland might be be offered after the World Cup, one concerned Welsh fan shouted, “Don’t go to England!”
Gatland replied: “I would never be allowed back across the Severn Bridge! I’ve loved it here and there are no plans at the moment. I’m going to finish the World Cup and take a break. Then, maybe, with a bit of luck, somebody offers me a job.”
Speaking at the end of the event, First Minister Mark Drakeford told the team: “We are enormously grateful. It was suggested in the newspapers over the weekend that the captain ought to be the next First Minister of Wales. When his time comes, I will be there to support him!”
