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Warren Gatland has hailed Wales\u2019 ability to keep \u201cpunching above our weight\u201d after clinching a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
It maintains Gatland\u2019s 100 per record of reaching the last-eight in four World Cup campaigns as Wales head coach.<\/p>\n
And the achievement is further underlined by where Wales were just six months ago on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n
They finished fifth in the Six Nations, with a solitary win being against Italy, while Welsh professional rugby was engulfed by financial issues and contractual uncertainty for many players.<\/p>\n
That scenario almost led to Gatland\u2019s squad going on strike in protest over the situation just days before Wales faced England in Cardiff.<\/p>\n
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Now, though, they find themselves at the business end of a World Cup, having progressed from Pool C with one game to spare and seemingly on course for a quarter-final clash against Argentina in Marseille on October 14.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a lot of things going on before the Six Nations,\u201d Gatland said, following a record 40-6 victory over Australia that confirmed Wales\u2019 progression to the knockout phase.<\/p>\n
\u201cContract issues and the players getting offered them, and then just understanding the frustrations from them in terms of security, future, families and stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI probably didn\u2019t realise at the time the impact that had on the coaching staff and probably even myself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to sit back and let things unfold until after the Six Nations, when you can get a squad together.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been together for four months now. You know you can put the detail, preparation and hard work in that we always pride ourselves on.<\/p>\n
Everyone has made a lot of sacrifices in the last four months<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are such a small nation as a tier one nation in terms of playing numbers, and we are proud that our success has been based on hard work and punching above our weight.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone has made a lot of sacrifices in the last four months, and the message from me beforehand was \u2018you get what you deserve in life\u2019 from putting that hard work and effort in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been through some pain and tough times. We have pushed some players right to the edge, and they have fronted up.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have got a brilliant balance in this group in terms of taking the mickey out of each other and some real banter, which is brilliant.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when they are asked to front up and perform at training, they get their heads on and they knuckle down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wales were World Cup semi-finalists in 2011 \u2013 the first time for 24 years \u2013 and 2019, with that achievement now having an outstanding chance of being repeated.<\/p>\n
Among Wales\u2019 many successes in the tournament so far has been co-captain Jac Morgan\u2019s form and leadership, which he highlighted through an immense display against Australia.<\/p>\n
It evokes memories of New Zealand in 2011 when a 22-year-old Sam Warburton was handed the captaincy reins and delivered magnificently. At 23, flanker Morgan is so far ticking every box.<\/p>\n
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Gatland added: \u201cHe is still a young man, and I threw him in at the deep end. He has been absolutely outstanding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a huge amount of admiration for him. He is definitely a player who leads from the front, and he did exactly that (against Australia). It was a brilliant performance from him.\u201d<\/p>\n