How the 2019 Grand Slam was won

As far as pre-tournament predictions go, Warren Gatland’s statement that Wales would win the Grand Slam if they won their opening game in France is right up with the boldest of all time.

He had obviously seen something building in his side over their nine match unbeaten run in 2018 to convince him that a record-breaking third Grand Slam of his coaching era was more than possible.

The clean-sweep in the Under Armour Series in November, that included wins over Australia and South Africa, had highlighted the physical resilience of his players, as well as their tactical nous. Nobody was going to take Wales lightly coming into the 2019 Guinness Six Nations championship, but the smart money was still on No 2 ranked Ireland to make it back-to-back titles.

After all, Joe Schmidt’s 2018 Grand Slammers had beaten New Zealand for the second time in two years in the autumn and three of the Irish provinces had made it through to the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals.

Eddie Jones’ England were heavily tipped as well, while any trip to Scotland was going to be tricky given the free-flowing nature of Gregor Townsend’s side. With three away games, and England and Ireland at home, it looked a tough assignment.

But, as Gatland said from the start, a win in Paris was going to be the gateway to another great tournament. The question was, could his side stay on course to match or break the 109-year-old record set by Welsh Billy Trew’s side of 11 wins in a row between 1907-1910.

They came into the tournament on the back of nine successive wins and they knew they if they kept on winning they would be able to outstrip arguably the greatest Welsh team of all-time with a win over England in Cardiff. First of all, they had to keep the dream alive in Paris and Rome as they kicked-off with two away matches.

This is the story of how Wales won a 12^th Grand Slam, their fourth of the Six Nations era, and made it five titles in 15 years – a richer return than any other nation. Given it was Gatland’s last tournament in charge before he stands down after 12 years in charge, emotions and expectations were running high.

After all, he came in with a bang in 2008, notching his first Grand Slam, won another won in 2012 and was hell bent on going out in similar style. No coach in northern hemisphere history had done better than two Grand Slams, so the coach had a piece of history in his sights.

FRANCE V WALES – STADE DE FRANCE, FRIDAY, 1 FEBRUARY

THE BUILD UP

Leigh Halfpenny was still struggling with concussion from the win over Australia and Taulupe Faletau was still out with an arm injury. Also ruled out of the Championship were back row men Aaron Shingler and Ellis Jenkins.

SELECTION

Gatland gave the No 9 jersey to Tomos Williams to allow him to partner his Blues half-back partner Gareth Anscombe. The back row trio was Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty.

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS

Gatland on the Six Nations:

“I’ve been pretty open in my view that we have a good chance of winning the Six Nations. I think if we win this first game, we can do it. I haven’t really contemplated anything other than winning the Six Nations.”

Gatland on the French:

“They’ll be a tough proposition. It’s a big pack and a back-line with flair. They’ll look to play off the front foot and use that pace out wide. They clearly want to be big and physical up front and play quick out wide.”

Josh Navidi on the 150 stone French pack, the biggest in Six Nations history:

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It will be old school rugby.”

POST MATCH COMMENTS

Wales skipper, Alun Wyn Jones:

“We have to put our hands up and say we came out pretty slow. Credit to George (North) and our defence, they came through in the conditions. We learned pretty quickly that we were better off without the ball than with it. There is a lot of value in chasing lost causes – one with the kick and one with the interception. The conditions probably won the game more than we did, but there is a lot to work on. It was a positive result. We came out a bit cold and tried to play a bit too much, but we learned pretty quickly at the start of the second half.

Two try hero George North:

“The team effort in the second half showed where we can go. We were a few yards off the pace today from where we know we can be. It showed how much we can dig in to get a result, but we know we are nowhere near where we need to be. The half time messages were clear. We knew what we needed to do and that showed in the second half. It was all hands to the deck, re-focus, re-jig and get back to where we know we can be. The boys knew straight away what we were doing was wrong. We had to put things right from minute one and we did that and came out strong.”

Warren Gatland:

“As a team we have forgotten how to lose and they are a team at the other end of the spectrum and it put them under pressure. We will take it and it is nice to get out of gaol in the first one from 16-0 down and win the game. The conditions were terrible and it wasn’t great. The message at half time was to raise the tempo. We felt that if we could get through four or five phases holding onto the ball we would create opportunities and chances. I thought our game management was poor today. We were excellent in the autumn and we got ourselves into good situations to control games. We didn’t manage this game as well as we could, but we found a way to win. It is a big start for us.”

MATCH FACTS

• A 10^th win in a row equalled the best achieved in the professional era by Rob Howley’s 1999 side.
• George North went to 19 tries in the Six Nations to become the leading scorer of the decade.
• The comeback from a 16 point deficit at half-time to win was the best in Six Nations history.
• The win made it a 50% record against France in the first 20 years of the Six Nations with 5 wins each home and away.

STATS

• Possession 43%
• Territory 37%
• Clean Breaks 6
• Defenders Beaten 14
• Off Loads 8
• Turn Overs Conceded 16
• Scrums Won / Lost  10 / 1
• Line-Outs Won / Lost 4 / 3
• Tackles (% completion) 146 (88%)
• Pens For / Agst 5 / 10
• Top Tackler 19 (Justin Tipuric)

MATCH REPORT

ITALY V WALES – STADIO OLIMPICO, SATURDAY, 9 FEBRUARY

THE BUILD UP

Having reached 10 wins on the bounce, this was the game in which Wales could equal a record that had stood since 1910. The Italians came into the game having lost their last 18 Six Nations games.

SELECTION

Thomas Young and Jonah Holmes made their Six Nations debuts and Jonathan Davies skippered his country for the first time. Owen Watkin came in to partner Davies in midfield and Dan Biggar partnered Aled Davies at half-back in a side showing 10 changes from the one that triumphed on Paris.  There was a new look front row in Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee and Samson Lee, while Jake Ball came into the second row. Josh Navidi switched to No8 and he was joined by Aaron Wainwright and Young in the back row. Cory Hill (cut knee) and Justin Tipuric (back spasm) weren’t consider due to injuries.

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS

Thomas Young on previous Six Nations experience:

“I was eight or nine and my brothers Lewis and Owen and I all ran out in our little red shirts as mascots for Dad’s 50th cap.That’s one I do remember, but it’s one Dad wants to forget as he was captain and Wales got a bit of a hammering. It was still a proud moment for us all, though. The Six Nations is probably the best competition in the world and everyone watches it. To actually play in it is something I’ll be very proud of.”

Warren Gatland on selection:

“We’ve made a lot of changes, but there is still a lot of experience in there and it is an opportunity for a number of players to show what they can do. We’ve had a squad of 31 training together, replicating the Rugby World Cup, and it is important they get game-time.”

POST MATCH COMMENTS

Warren Gatland:

“If we play like that against England it could be embarrassing. There are lots of things we need to improve. The line-out was a bit concerning, we didn’t have enough tempo. We kept having to step away and Italy closed down that space pretty quickly. We all need to improve in lots of areas to beat England, they are a pretty good side at the moment. A lot of people will be writing us off against England. That is a good position to be. We will go in under the radar.”

Wales captain for the day, Jonathan Davies:

“Credit to Italy, they made things tough for us. We probably expected to be a bit more accurate and be smarter with the ball. We can still take some things out of the game and our focus now turns to a big game coming up against England. It was great that we made 10 changes from our win over France and it showed our strength in depth. But we will have to be a lot better than we were today against England. That’s the challenge in front of us and the group are all excited about that. It is going to be a tasty one, I’m sure.”

MATCH FACTS

• This was Wales 11^th win in a row, equalling the previous record that had stood for 109 years
• Thomas Young followed his father, David, into championship action to become the first father and son duo to play Six Nations rugby for Wales

STATS

• Possession 56%
• Territory 60%
• Clean Breaks 4
• Defenders Beaten 17
• Off Loads 5
• Turn Overs Conceded 15
• Scrums Won / Lost 6 / 0
• Line-Outs Won / Lost 9 / 4
• Tackles (% completion) 109 (89%)
• Pens For / Agst 11 / 6
• Top Tackler 15 (Thomas Young)

MATCH REPORT

WALES V ENGLAND – PRINCIPALITY STADIUM, SATURDAY, 23 FEBRUARY

THE BUILD UP

Eddie Jones tried to turn-up the heat on his opposite number by claiming his England side were taking on the best Welsh team of all-time. Gatland was having none of it. England were missing Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje and Chris Ashton through injury, but were unbeaten after taking down reigning champions Ireland in Dublin in Round 1 and then blasting past France at home.
It was a tale of a teams of two halves coming into the heavyweight clash of the tournament to date. England had scored 47 (61.9 per cent) of their 76 points in the first half, while Wales had notched 38 (76.0 per cent) of their 50 points in the second half.

SELECTION

Gatland once again rang the changes from the side that beat Italy last time out. Alun Wyn Jones returned to lead the side for the 22nd time to join Cory Hill in the second row. Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi came back on the flanks to pack down either side of Ross Moriarty. Gareth Anscombe got the nod at outside half and George North returned on the wing. There were 11 changes in all from Rome.

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS

Eddie Jones on Wales

“We are playing the greatest Welsh side ever, so we’re going to have to be at our absolute best. You read the papers, it’s all been about Wales.

Gatland on the game

“We have been on the road for the first two weeks, we are looking forward to being back at home and to build on those first two wins and to build on our performance. We’ve had a great two week lead up to this game, we’ve looked really sharp and the squad are incredibly motivated to kick on.”

POST MATCH COMMENTS

Man of the Match Liam Williams

“We’re a great team, but we didn’t play well the first two weeks. We’ve worked hard this week and the boys dug deep in the second half.”

England skipper Owen Farrell

“We didn’t get a foothold in the last 30 minutes of the game. We did well in the first half, came out and had a go at the start of the second but then we couldn’t get our momentum. We made a few errors, myself included. We couldn’t get out of our half as they built a lot of pressure.”

Warren Gatland

“We created a lot of problems for ourselves in the first half and England didn’t put us under pressure. We were a lot better in the second half and we got better as the game went on. We put a lot of work into our kicking game during the week and we exploited England in the air today. It was a massive step up for us.”

MATCH FACTS

• This was a record 12th win in a row for Wales, surpassing the record of 1910
• Victory allowed Wales to rise above England in the World Rankings into 3rd
• It was a first win in the last six Six Nations meetings for Wales over England

STATS

• Possession 65%
• Territory 68%
• Clean Breaks 5
• Defenders Beaten 15
• Off-Loads 8
• Turn Overs Conceded 14
• Scrums Won/Lost 5/1
• Line-Outs Won/Lost 10/3
• Tackles (% completion) 122 (90%)
• Pens For/Agst 3/9
• Top Tackler 16 (Alun Wyn Jones)

MATCH REPORT

SCOTLAND V WALES – MURRAYFIELD STADIUM, SATURDAY, 9 MARCH

THE BUILD UP

Wales had been beaten at Murrayfield on their last visit, but Warren Gatland was looking to keep intact his record of never having lost to the Scots as Wales head coach. He was on British & Irish Lions duty in 2017. Scotland had only won once in the previous 11 encounters and had Jonny Gray and Tommy Seymour making their 50th appearances. Finn Russell was fit to return at outside half having missed the defeat in France in the previous round.

SELECTION

Wales made just one injury-enforced change to the starting XV as Adam Beard came into the second row in place of the injured Cory Hill. Beard had started in Rounds 1 and 2. Jake Ball came onto the bench. Otherwise, the match-day 23 was the same that defeated England.

PRE MATCH THOUGHTS

Warren Gatland

“We are a team that is maturing. They can go through phases in a game where we are under pressure, but that doesn’t seem to rock them. I don’t see fear in their eyes or any trepidation. It was a fairly straightforward selection. The biggest challenge for us is not to be happy with beating England. We must not accept where we are at the moment, but try to build on Saturday and create something very special. I haven’t lost to Scotland in Wales, but they’ve become really tough to beat there.”

Scotland coach, Gregor Townsend

“The last game and a half we’ve not played close to our potential. Going into half-time against Ireland we were playing well, getting into the game with our attack, putting Ireland under pressure. Since then we’ve shown too many inaccuracies in our game. That’s what we’re working on to improve. We’ve got a job to do which is to play much better but also deliver a performance our supporters can be proud of.”

POST MATCH COMMENTS

Warren Gatland

“We had a couple of good defensive sets in that second half, but it was certainly nerve-wracking. We were comfortable at the break, but Scotland came out in the second half and put us under pressure. But I said to the guys afterwards that, when you’ve won a Grand Slam, you look back on at least one game where you’re like ‘yeah, we were maybe a little lucky there’.”

Alun Wyn Jones

“They did a job on us in 2017 and they nearly did it again. In our previous games we’ve finished stronger, but we didn’t get going in that second half. We couldn’t get the ball back.”

MATCH FACTS

• Warren Gatland extended his unbeaten record against the Scots with Wales to 10
• This was Wales’ 13th win in a row and took them to within one win of a 12th Grand Slam and 21st Triple Crown
• The Scots had won 12 of their previous 15 home games at Murrayfield
• Wales were forced to make 178 tackles

STATS

• Possession 41%
• Territory 40%
• Clean Breaks 10
• Defenders Beaten 15
• Off-Loads 10
• Turn Overs Conceded 10
• Scrums Won/Lost 3 / 0
• Line-Outs Won/Lost 9/1
• Tackles (% completion) 178 (83%)
• Pens For/Agst 9/11
• Top Tackler 25 (Justin Tipuric)

MATCH REPORT

WALES V IRELAND – PRINCIPALITY STADIUM, SATURDAY, 16 MARCH

THE BUILD UP

The row over the roof dominated the build-up, with Irish coach Joe Schmidt adamant it should be open. He might have had a different view as the game wore on and the heavens opened. Both teams were still in the running for the title and it was a farewell to the Six Nations for both coaches in charge of their respective teams. Ireland had completed the Grand Slam in 2018 and came as reigning champions. They arrived having won nine of their previous 10 Six Nations games, with their last away defeat being in Cardiff in 2017.

SELECTION

Liam Williams was declared fit to play after injuring himself in the win over Scotland. Hadleigh Parkes and Adam Beard were also passed fit following cuts and bruises at Murrayfield. Ireland were without Iain Henderson and so there was a start in the second row for former Scarlets lock Tadhg Beirne.

PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS

Gatland on selection and mood

“You get opportunities that come along in life and you have to take them with both hands. I’ve not seen a group of players as motivated as this before or this excited about playing in a Grand Slam game. We know what is at stake and the prize is massive.”

POST MATCH COMMENTS

Guinness Man Of The Match Gareth Anscombe

“It’s hard to put into words what this means. We have a habit of winning and it’s a special group. We’ve worked incredibly hard over the last year and we worked hard for each other today.

We wanted to enjoy it. We’re in the best stadium in the world in front of our people and we wanted to take the game to them. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. For me, it’s a day and weekend to remember for Welsh rugby. The celebrations will be a couple of days, I think. I don’t know if I’ll go to training on Monday – I’ll have to ask the coach.”

Triple Grand Slammer Alun Wyn Jones

“Anything can happen when you work hard and you’re a proud nation, and we’ve shown that. Warren’s the man at the top and we’ve been under pressure, but he’s always been unwavering. He’s got a bit left on his contract, but I’m sure we’ll miss him when he’s eventually gone.

“At times we’ve been unconvincing so we like to think there’s still potential in us. We’re well aware we’ve just put a big target on our backs before the World Cup.”

MATCH FACTS

• Wales completed their 12th Grand Slam and their fourth of the Six Nations era.
• Warren Gatland became the first coach in the northern hemisphere to win three Slams.
• Alun Wyn Jones became the 13th Welsh player to play in three Grand Slam sides.
• Wales were able to leapfrog Ireland into second place in the World Rankings.
• This was Wales’ 100th Six Nations match and the 50th with Warren Gatland in charge.
• Adam Beard extended his unbeaten run to 13 games for Wales – one behind the record of 14 by Geoff Wheel

STATS

• Possession 40%
• Territory 38%
• Clean Breaks 3
• Defenders Beaten 8
• Off-Loads 1
• Turn Overs Conceded 8
• Scrums Won / Lost 9 / 2
• Line-Outs Won/Lost 11/1
• Tackles (% completion) 166 (94%)
• Pens For / Agst 11 / 11
• Top Tackler 21 (Josh Navidi)

MATCH REPORT

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE WELSH GRAND SLAM

Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times

“One of the greatest days for Welsh rugby, and in all kinds of ways. Warren Gatland became the first coach ever to win three Grand Slams, and the Guinness Six Nations trophy itself was hoisted to riotous acclaim in the giant mitts of Alun Wyn Jones.
The captain was described afterwards as the greatest player in Welsh rugby history, and there were very few in the stadium who would have taken issue because the big man was absolutely sensational. In the first half he sank to the ground writhing in pain, and a nation waited. He was almost mummified by bandages, got up and played the game of his life.
Over the decades, I’ve been in some sporting stadiums. But never one as passionate or supportive or uproarious as the Principality Stadium yesterday. You wonder how many outsiders were watching, because it would be fitting if the message of the Slam reaches those people in some other nations who have not respected the Welsh team or the sport’s ideals.
Wales have now won 14 games on the trot, they rise to second in the world rankings – and perhaps the most astonishing thing of all, they do so on the wreckage of domestic professional rugby in the country. For heaven’s sake, some of yesterday’s heroes barely won another significant match in their whole seasons, bar the five games of the international Slam.”

Owen Slott, The Times

“Clearly, six months before the World Cup, Wales are the form team from the Guinness Six Nations Championship — and they have clear gains to make between now and Japan. They have the magnificent Taulupe Faletau to come back from injury. They will surely find a way to wangle Rhys Webb, their scrum half in exile in Toulon, back into the team. And with all that preparation time, surely they can also mend their diabolical lineout.
I remain convinced that their make or break game is not necessarily their group game with Australia, nor their likely quarter-final against England, Argentina or France, but their penultimate group game against Fiji. The Fijians do not get much training time together, so they need to work their way into a tournament. It doesn’t help Wales that by the time the two sides meet, Fiji will be playing their last group game and have had three matches to do so.
The Fijians have two players, Leone Nakarawa (the lock from Racing 92) and Peceli Yato (the Clermont Auvergne flanker) who would challenge for a world team. They have three others — Levani Botia (La Rochelle, ludicrously versatile), Semi Radradra (Bordeaux, centre), Viliame Mata (Edinburgh, No 8), who, at their best, are not far off. They are strong pretty much throughout the team now, apart from at half-back.
England’s pool group — including France, Argentina, USA and Tonga — has been described as the quadrennial “group of death”. Wales, Australia and Fiji, along with Georgia and Uruguay, looks more imposing to me. Wales can be regarded as genuine World Cup challengers, but only after October 9, if they have got past Fiji.”

Rob Kitson, The Guardian

“Under the Parisian cosh they stood firm and did the same against England in Cardiff. Then, with everything on the line, they had Scotland and Ireland effectively sliced and diced by half-time. Artists may struggle to capture the poetic beauty of this achievement but guess how many second-half points Wales conceded in five games, three of them away from home? The answer is a miserly 26, including the seven late consolation points they permitted the Irish.
Those high-class defensive stats have also now elevated Wales to the unprecedented heights of second in the world rankings. In a World Cup year that is not an insignificant achievement. It does not necessarily mean they will hoist the World Cup in Japan but Gatland’s squad can now dare to dream in a way that would have previously felt unrealistic. England and Ireland, by contrast, can only tip their sodden hats in the direction of Cardiff and reflect on why they ultimately fell short.”

Sam Warburton, Sunday Times Column

“This will mean so much to Warren Gatland. I think it will be the most rewarding of his three Grand Slams because it is almost a fairytale to do this in his last Six Nations campaign.
To do it in a World Cup year too — the last side to complete the clean sweep in such a year were England in 2003 and look how that panned out — makes it special too.
Wales deserved to win this and it sets them up so nicely. I don’t want to get too excited but, because South Africa and Australia are not the sides they once were, Wales have a real chance in the World Cup.
If somebody else beat New Zealand and knocked them out of the tournament, as a Welsh fan you would be thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is on.’
Basically New Zealand are the only team I would really worry about Wales playing. If it was anyone else at the moment I would back Wales. So they must celebrate this — it is a special time and everyone must recognise that — but they must never get complacent. If I was captain I would emphasise that. This is just another platform from which they must kick on.”

Will Kelleher, Daily Mail

“When it comes to Wales and their rugby team, the wins they have had and the glory they have delivered in recent times, it is all about Gatland. The fact that Wales, now with four Grand Slams and another Championship win since 2000, are now the most successful team in this expanded tournament is almost entirely the New Zealander’s doing. Gatland the galvaniser, Gatland the great.”