Sam Warburton believes Warren Gatland has already taken significant steps in transforming Wales' fortunes and says the coach could be about to unleash his very own 'bomb squad'.
Warburton is excited by the number of big, physical athletes Gatland has called up for the Six Nations, with the likes of Rhys Carré and Leon Brown returning to the fold.
He now thinks Wales could quickly move to a position where they can emulate world champions South Africa's tactic of unloading a bench of outstanding athletes later in games. The Springboks are renowned for bringing on an imposing and entirely fresh front row in the second half of matches that so often proves the difference.
With the likes of Carré, Brown, Dewi Lake, Christ Tshiunza and Aaron Wainwright all potentially bench options, Gatland has some serious weaponry at his disposal.
Warburton wrote in his Times column: "Gats is so good at changing the mindset and culture very quickly. I was buzzing when I saw the squad he has picked. When he was working on television with me during the autumn series and we were talking to him pitchside, he was always stressing the need for physicality and for big ball-carriers, which is something Wales have missed in recent times. Wales have been physically dominated too often and Gats has immediately addressed that with this selection. He has picked the best athletes, many of whom had been discarded.
"Take the props Leon Brown, who had been omitted for lack of game time, and Rhys Carré, who had been left out for his supposedly poor physical condition — take my word for it, those two are the most explosive forwards that Wales have got. Wales can’t pick and choose in that regard. They haven’t got enough players of that ilk to select from.
"Gats knows that and has pitched them straight back in. He will get them into camp and get them into shape. Carré strikes me as the type of player who needs a bit of a push from a coach, and Gats will certainly give him that.
"Come the World Cup, and even possibly in this Six Nations, with Carré, Dewi Lake and Brown, Wales could have their own “bomb squad” front row, just like South Africa, coming off the bench. They could have an amazing impact. If you have Christ Tshiunza and Aaron Wainwright coming off the bench too, you have five supreme athletes as your forward replacements."
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