Rugby World Cup: Warren Gatland unapologetic for pushing Wales players 'to limit'
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Warren Gatland is preparing for his fourth World Cup - more than any other head coach
Warren Gatland says he will not apologise for pushing his Wales players "to the limit" when the build-up to France 2023 intensifies next week.
Gatland will get his first chance to run the rule over the entire squad with just under three months to go until they begin their World Cup campaign.
Players have trained in small groups so far but all 49 are due to report to the Vale of Glamorgan base next week.
BBC Wales Sport looks at what the next 12 weeks have in store before Bordeaux.
Gatland named a 54-strong provisional training squad in May however preparations have since been rocked by several high profile withdrawals.
Former captains Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric both announced their retirements from Test rugby, Cory Hill and Rhys Webb withdrew to take lucrative club contracts while Rhys Carre was also released after failing to hit performance targets.
All of this came after centre Joe Hawkins was ruled ineligible for selection following his move to Exeter Chiefs for next season.
Four players will be cut from the provisional squad this week before the first full training camp.
Where are they going?
Just as he did before previous World Cup campaigns, Gatland will push his players through two gruelling training camps.
They return for a third time to the Alpine resort of Fiesch in Switzerland from 3-17 July before heading to the Gloria Sports Arena near Antalya in Turkey from 23-31 July.
In sweltering conditions, the camps have become notorious for the physical and mental demands, but Gatland is unapologetic.
"A lot is made about the fitness but the camps are not just about being brutal," he said.
"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.
"Shaun Edwards once said 'it's called a Test match because that's exactly what it is'. It tests you in every aspect; your resolve, physicality, skills, mental toughness.
"That's what we are preparing for so I will not apologise for pushing the players to the limit to get the best out of them."
Wales used Fiesch in Switzerland before the 2015 and 2019 World Cup finals
Who has already impressed?
Scrum-half Tomos Williams looks to have stolen a march on his two Scarlets rivals to capitalise most on the departure of Webb and was described as in "brilliant shape" by Gatland.
Despite the loss of Hawkins, the head coach believes Wales have "real depth" in midfield with the likes of Joe Roberts, Mason Grady and Max Llewelyn impressing in training.
"The centres look pretty exciting. Joe Roberts is a bit different, the two midfielders are big and physical, they're quick and they've got some good skills," said Gatland.
Lock Adam Beard has also been singled out for praise following a disappointing Six Nations campaign.
"Adam gets a huge amount of criticism from fans but he's worked his butt off. He's looking in good shape and I'd love to see him shut a few people up," the head coach added.
While Gatland has been forced to defend how Carre was cut from the squad, fellow Cardiff props Corey Domachowski and Keiron Assiratti have pressed their claims.
He said: "There's some real youngsters that we're excited about. I couldn't believe Keiron's skill level, his handling and side-stepping. I told him he could be a brilliant 10 if he lost about 40kgs."
Front row or fly-half? Uncapped prop Keiron Assiratti has already impressed Gatland
Warm-up matches
Wales face two previous World Cup winners, including defending champions South Africa.
Gatland said: "We've got three good preparation games from a physical point of view in terms of England home and away and South Africa, and then building up towards that opening game. It's going to be tough."
Saturday 5 August: Wales v England (Principality Stadium)
Saturday 12 August: England v Wales (Twickenham)
Saturday 19 August: Wales v South Africa (Principality Stadium)
Squad selection
All teams are allowed to select 33 players for this year's World Cup - two more than previous tournaments.
The increase from 31 in Japan 2019 is for player welfare reasons while all teams now have a minimum five rest days between games. That has seen the tournament extended by a week.
Gatland is expected to name his final squad after facing the Springboks in Cardiff and before the World Rugby deadline of 28 August.
Gatland has also hinted at picking joint captains for the first time as pool rivals Australia have done with Michael Hooper and James Slipper.
Au revoir
All teams have been nominated a host city for the entire tournament.
Wales arrive in Versailles - 12 miles (19km) west of Paris - on Sunday 3 September with an official welcome ceremony that evening.
Wales are one of the few teams that play all four pool matches in different cities but will travel to each by train with tournament organisers keen to reduce the event's carbon footprint.
Wales players have a final chance to impress against champions South Africa before World Cup selection
World Cup fixtures
Sunday 10 September: Wales v Fiji (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
Saturday 16 September: Wales v Portugal (Stade de Nice, Nice)
Sunday 24 September: Wales v Australia (OL Stadium, Lyon)
Saturday 7 October: Wales v Georgia (Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes)
Should Wales progress, they will play their quarter-final in Marseille on either 14 or 15 October.
Chances?
Wales have won just three of their last 15 games and finished fifth in a Six Nations mired in controversy as domestic issues took their toll.
But Gatland, who took over from Wayne Pivac in December, believes that could see Wales slip under the radar.
"There's no doubt there was a lot of stuff going on during the Six Nations, tensions within the squad, division. I probably didn't realise at the time the impact that had on the team," he said.
"But the Welsh boys love nothing better than being written off with their backs to the wall.
"Fiji are going to be really dangerous first up but we're on a good side of the draw if we can get to the quarter-finals.
"We've got to play well to get out of our group but we've made the Welsh public proud of the performances they have put in that jersey in the past, so hopefully we can again."