Warren Gatland was a consistent major title winner in his Wasps days

Warren Gatland has told his Welsh Grand Slam champions to live up to their billing as RBS Six Nations favourites.

Only five teams have won back-to-back Grand Slams in the championship's history but the Wales coach says his players must thrive under pressure.

"The pressure of being favourites is something we will have to accept if we want to keep improving," said Gatland.

"It's a new challenge for us as a squad but if we keep developing, expectation will be heaped on us even more."

Wales followed up their 2005 Grand Slam success by winning just one game in a turbulent 2006 Six Nations, which included the departure of coach Mike Ruddock. They also won only one game in 2007.

But Gatland, who inspired Wales to a Six Nations clean sweep in his first campaign, insists the sign of a great side is embracing the pressure and consistently winning over a long period.

It is not just Wales who find it difficult to back up Grand Slam wins; England and France have found it difficult as well Wales coach Warren Gatland

"It is always easier going into tournaments as the underdog without a huge amount of expectation," Gatland told BBC Sport.

"Then when you get results everyone is pretty happy. But when people expect us to perform it brings a different type of pressure.

"But if we have ambitions to be compared with one of the best teams in the world, then we have to deal with the expectation and pressure.

"Even after the 2005 Grand Slam the team didn't go into the next campaign as Six Nations favourites, but after the autumn series we had we are going into this championship with that tag."

Wales were the only northern hemisphere team to claim a Tri-Nations scalp last autumn when they beat Australia 21-18 at the Millennium Stadium.

"We have had a very good 12 months," acknowledged Gatland, whose team also impressed in defeat against world champions South Africa in Cardiff.

"Having won the Grand Slam last year, we then beat Australia in the autumn and showed improvement and progression.

"In the autumn series we were the only team that beat a top southern hemisphere team and played some really positive rugby.

"We kept the ball on the park, played through lots of phases and entertained the crowd so we have to accept the fact we're favourites, but the biggest pressure is the pressure we put on ourselves.

606: DEBATE I think that Stephen Jones is not only a better player than James Hook but doesn't take unnecessary risks majesticimperialman

"Our aim is to stay in the top five in the world and beat the southern hemisphere teams.

"Then should we keep winning, the motivation will change and it'll become a fear of failure.

"We're all excited about the challenges ahead but it is not just Wales who find it difficult to to back up Grand Slam wins, England and France have found it difficult as well - and it will be tougher with three games away from home."

Wales were the first to achieve successive Grand Slams in 1909 before England won back-to-back clean sweeps in 1914, 1924 and 1992. France were the last team to complete the feat in 1998.

"We'll talk about those expectations with the players," said Gatland, who guided Wasps to three Premiership crowns and the 2004 Heineken Cup.

"We can't hide away from it. But if we train with the intensity, purpose and hard work we have done in the last year then we will get consistency of performance. And if we get that right, we'll get results."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version