Warren Gatland has revealed how Justin Tipuric left him stunned by suddenly revealing he was retiring from Wales duty with the World Cup just months away.
The Wales boss wanted his brilliant openside to play a key role at this autumn's global showpiece in France, where Wales lock horns with Australia, Georgia, Fiji and Portugal in the group stages.
Gatland will step up preparations for the tournament when his entire 49-man squad meet up this week to begin their training in earnest. So far the players in camp have been put through their paces in small groups.
Already Gatland's bumper squad, which will be cut just ahead of World Cup kick-off, has been brought down by the international retirements of Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones.
While Gatland wasn't surprised about the decision made by his former captain Alun Wyn after 'mature' conversations between the pair of them, he was totally taken aback when Tipuric telephoned him with his own news.
"Although I knew about Alun Wyn’s decision, the announcement by Justin came as a bit of shock," Gatland wrote in a Telegraph column. "It was based on his concern that his body would not hold up through the intensity of the training because he was not 100 per cent right."
Gatland historically really puts his players through the mill during World Cup preparation, with two gruelling training camps away from Wales part of the mix.
He also explained Tipuric wants to spend more time with those close to him away from the rugby field.
Gatland continued: "I told him that Alun Wyn was about to announce his retirement in the next few hours. 'Typical Al, stealing my thunder', he joked to me on the phone."
The Wales coach's surprise on learning of Tipuric's news indicates the 94-times capped Ospreys man still had a major role to play under him when the World Cup gets under way in France. Tipuric was even one of the Welsh captaincy contenders, but his surprise absence opens up an opportunity for one of Tommy Reffell or Jac Morgan to wear the number seven jersey.
With Alun Wyn being a few years older, his position in the team appeared more uncertain and after 170 caps for Wales and the Lions Gatland says he is pleased the lock warrior was able to make the decision on his own terms.
He wrote: "Alun Wyn and I had talked a number of times during the Six Nations. We had mature conversations about when the time is right. He is such a competitor that he never knows when to quit or give up.
"I know he found it difficult. He said the time was right to step down from international rugby but was still not 100 per cent sure if it was the right call. He has been an incredible player for Wales and the Lions. His warrior spirit is something I wish I could bottle for the next generation of players."
Gatland has since ruthlessly axed Cardiff prop Rhys Carre from the squad, saying he failed to meet targets set for him.
The decision, announced by the WRU, provoked a lot of debate, but Gatland explained: "We had agreed with him on achieving some targets, which he had asked for, but unfortunately had not met. This is international sport."
Gatland says Carre needs to see the decision as a watershed moment in his up and down career and go on to prove the Wales coach wrong by fulfilling his undoubted rugby potential.
As he prepares to rigorously test the players further in the coming days, Gatland insists he will turn the negativity surrounding Welsh rugby at the moment into a positive.
"People can write us off as much as they want. Let me tell you, inside the camp the messaging is very different," says Gatland, who maintains this is simply another backs-to-the-wall challenge in his coaching career he expects to win.
"That is what really motivates me. I get a buzz out of being the underdog."
Wales have July training camps in Switzerland and Turkey before three warm-up Tests with England, home and away and then South Africa at the Principality Stadium.
"A lot is made about the fitness but the camps are not just about being brutal," he says. "This is a chance for us to put in the details that you just don't get time to do in a normal campaign.
"We've prided ourselves in the past that we've been able to compete with the best teams in the world because we've worked so hard that we can play for the full 80 minutes. We won't fold when we're under the pump and we can stay in the fight to give ourselves a chance to win.
"I will not apologise for pushing the players to the limit to get the best out of them."
