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back to basics

More Warrenball! Gatland wants Wales to be more direct after 'expansive' approach fell short

Batten down those hatches, Scotland.

WALES COACH WARREN Gatland has asked his squad to return to a more direct approach for tomorrow’s Six Nations meeting at home to Scotland (Kick-off 16.50).

Wales noticeably sought to move the ball wide more often than usual during the opening weekend 16 – 16 draw in Dublin, successfully drawing in Ireland’s defence to become much more narrow than temporary defence coaches Joe Schmidt and Simon Easterby would think ideal.

However, without a win to show for the effort, Gatland has suggested he will revert away from last week’s gameplan to find more ‘balance’ with the direct approach that has served him well in the past.

“We have identified that by trying to be a bit more expansive, you have still got to be a bit more accurate and a bit squarer,” Gatland told WalesOnline.

“We were probably a little bit lateral in some of our running across the field and didn’t pick off and execute some three on twos as well.”

With regard to how the plan of attack will be dictated by his out-half, Gatland added: “It was probably a little bit too ‘pass, pass, pass’,

“We just need to get that right between being direct and potentially shortening them up and then, when we create opportunities to move the ball wide, to think smart about how we do that.”

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