Gatland has always believed he can bring success when he spends time with players, which World Cup preparation allows.
After naming a 54-man training squad, he had to cope with the international retirements of legends Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, while Owens was unavailable because of injury.
Gatland’s man-management skills were under scrutiny as prop Rhys Carre was brutally released from the squad for “failing to meet individual performance targets”.
Intense training camps in Switzerland and Turkey appeared to have worked as Wales stormed to World Cup pool success, with victories against Fiji, Portugal, Australia and Georgia.
The 40-6 hammering of Eddie Jones’ Wallabies side in Lyon proved the undoubted highlight of Gatland’s second spell in charge.
Wales suffered quarter-final defeat against Argentina in Marseille. It was a match Gatland felt they should have won, but pride had been restored to Welsh rugby.
Here is when history could have been different. With a new four-year World Cup cycle starting, Gatland and the WRU could have said their farewells after he had completed a short-term job.
WRU executive director of rugby Nigel Walker stated before the tournament in France he was backing Gatland to lead Wales to the 2027 World Cup, labelling him “one of the best coaches in the world”.
So Gatland stayed on, but some of his finest players did not. Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny retired from international rugby, Tomas Francis left Wales for a new life in France, Owens hung up his boots and George North quit the Test arena after the 2024 Six Nations.
Gatland was left with an inexperienced squad and had to use young players, a situation that saw Wales slump to a first Six Nations wooden spoon in 21 years.
Gatland says he offered to resign in the changing room following the defeat by Italy in March 2024 which condemned Wales to a clean sweep of Six Nations losses, but the offer was turned down by WRU chief executive Abi Tierney.
He also made headlines again when he stated Welsh rugby sometimes felt like a “sinking ship”.
