Attack chief King confident of ‘good fit’ with Wales boss Gatland

LONDON – New attack coach Alex King believes his experience of playing under Wales boss Warren Gatland will help the side rediscover their traditional attacking game during the Six Nations.

Gatland has returned for a second spell in charge, having presided over four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, and two World Cup semi-finals during his first stint as Wales head coach from 2007-19.

But Wales are now at a low ebb after fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac, his successor, guided the national side to a mere three wins in a 2022 that also included shock home defeats by Italy and Georgia.

Nevertheless, former England fly-half King, selected by Gatland to replace Stephen Jones as attack coach, believes the new backroom staff can help inspire a Wales revival despite little time with the squad ahead of the Six Nations opener against Ireland in Cardiff on 4 February.

“Gats got in touch with me a couple of weeks before Christmas and it went from there,” said King, the former Gloucester attack coach.

“It’s about clear messaging because there’s some fantastic players in this squad and what we want is to be really positive what we do with the ball.”

The 48-year-old added: “We want to play a brand of rugby that the (Principality) stadium will be proud of seeing — the DNA of Welsh rugby that I’ve grown up with and seen.

King, won the European Cup twice as a Wasps player, with Gatland in charge for the first of those titles. He also has previous experience as Wales attack coach, under Rob Howley in 2017, when Gatland was on sabbatical ahead of leading the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand.

King said: “I loved that time. You understand the passion of the game here and what it means to people.

“I’ve worked with Gats as a player at Wasps, I understand what his values are. It is a good fit.”