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Wales boss Warren Gatland focused on results above performances in Six Nations

Warren Gatland focused on results above performances in Six Nations
© Reuters
Returning Wales head coach Warren Gatland insists that results rather than encouraging performances are the most important thing heading into the 2023 Six Nations.

Returning Wales head coach Warren Gatland has insisted that results are by far the most important thing heading into this year's Six Nations Championship.

The New Zealander will begin his second stint in charge with a match against the world's top-ranked side Ireland in Cardiff next Saturday, having returned in December following a three-and-a-half-year absence.

Gatland replaces his own successor Wayne Pivac in charge of Wales, with the task of restoring the team to the same level of success he enjoyed during his first spell at the helm.

During that 12-year stretch from 2007 to 2019, the 59-year-old led Wales to four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams - becoming the only coach to win three Grand Slams in either the Five or Six Nations era.

Indeed, Gatland's last taste of the Six Nations saw him win the Grand Slam in 2019, but in the three tournaments since then Wales have had two campaigns in which they have only won one of their matches.

Warren Gatland pictured in August 2019© Reuters

The Rugby World Cup is to come later this year but, despite being yet to oversee a game in his second spell, Gatland stressed that he is only interested in winning matches rather than looking for encouraging performances to build on in the future.

"Oh it's about results. Six Nations is about results. People talk about performance - I'd rather win 10 games in a row 3-0 than lose one 48-50," he told Sports Mole.

"That's what international rugby is about. There's a huge amount at stake so it's about the result and for us it's about having a good Six Nations and making sure we put the work in to hopefully get those results that we will get by working as hard as we possibly can."

After being handed a difficult start against tournament favourites Ireland, Wales will then face Scotland at Murrayfield before the tournament has a fallow week.

Cardiff will then play host to the latest edition of the Wales vs. England rivalry, before Gatland's side finish their campaign with back-to-back away games against Italy and France.

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Warren Gatland pictured on October 20, 2019
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