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Today's rugby news as Gatland blown away by support and Springboks the 'best opponents' for Wales
Here are your rugby headlines for Thursday, November 21.
Gatland blown away by messages of support
Under-fire Warren Gatland says he's been overwhelmed by the 'incredible' messages of support he's received with his position as Wales head coach under pressure.
Wales have suffered a record 11 Test defeats in a row and this Saturday, against back-to-back world champions South Africa, that unwanted record could extend to 12. It has seen supporters and pundits question whether the New Zealander is the right man to take the team forward.
READ MORE: Tonight's rugby news as Wales target exiled fresh blood for Six Nations
And Gatland understands the scrutiny surrounding his position, but reserved thanks for those who have contacted him with messages of support over the last week.
"I try and stay away from it," Gatland said, "I am not on social media. But I understand it. You are not human if you don't ask yourself some questions about why you are doing it and do you enjoy it? Those things are understandable.
"It is part of the job, isn't it? You have got to take the good with the bad, and the ups and the downs.
"All I can say is that the amount of people who have contacted me in the last week, and the messages that I've had - whether that is by phone or email or messages through my family - it has been incredible.
"There obviously seems to be a bit of a divide, doesn't there? You know, 'go or stay'.
"I really do appreciate the people that have reached out and the support that they've given me. But you understand that there is another side of opinion as well."
Gatland has spoken with his family and the Welsh Rugby Union since the Australia defeat, and he remains under intense pressure ahead of South Africa's Cardiff visit.
"I do care passionately about Welsh rugby, and that is why I've said that if people feel that the best decision is for me to go, then that's OK, I will move on and look for something else," he added.
"I honestly believe that making that decision now is, 'what are you going to achieve, and is someone else going to come in there and start again, and how long is that process going to take?'
"I know for a number of years that we felt like the success we had with the national team was papering over the cracks that were underneath.
"I mentioned in the past that when the dam burst, it was going to take a while to plug it up again. That is probably where we are at the moment. We need to look at the future and the pathway and some of the structures to make some changes.
"I have encouraged the union on a number of occasions to be bold about some of the changes that we make in the best interests of Welsh rugby."
Roberts: Springboks best team Wales could play
Wales legend Jamie Roberts has said that South Africa's visit to Cardiff this weekend could prove to be a good thing for Warren Gatland's side despite them being completely written off.
A dismal record losing run for Wales is expected to extend to 12 Test matches on Saturday, with Welsh rugby at another all time low and the Springboks on a winning streak that has seen them take down Scotland and England so far this autumn. Rassie Erasmus' side head to the Principality as the number one ranked team in the world while their opponents have simply forgotten how to win, with Gatland's future as head coach looking increasingly uncertain.
But despite pundits around the world predicting a massacre, Roberts - who recently claimed that Wales have not moved forward at all under Warren Gatland - says that the arrival of the world's top team could inspire the hosts to raise their game and make it a competitive contest.
Reflecting on his recent comments, as well as the current state of Welsh rugby, in an interview with Super Sport, the former Wales centre said: "My comments were merely to state that this is the toughest losing run we've had in the pro era, which it is. It's hard for people to hear but it is what it is.
"After that first game against Fiji, I made comments that I hadn't seen this Wales side progress since the summer in Australia. That was probably coming off the back of watching Australia the day before at Twickenham and thinking 'Geez, how [much has] that side have progressed since the summer?'
"That was a disappointing result. It's hard at the minute and when I do speak about this, I come from a place of care. We all care very deeply, ex players have worn that jersey previously and seeing the tough times these young players are going through, it's challenging.
"I also come from a place of really appreciating the crop of players we during that period. I was very privileged to play alongside some incredible players during a time when we were highly competitive and won things as well. It's challenging [but] we are where we are at the end of the day. It's a product of many different things, be it investment, be it strategy be it just sheer luck of the sort of players we've got at the minute."
Looking ahead to the challenge that faces Gatland and his side this weekend, Roberts continued: "In a weird way, there's not a better team to come to town this week for Wales, because the best side in the world are coming to town. If there's ever a team to to sharpen and focus the mind, it's the Springboks.
"I've been there in teams where you've lost quite a few games on the bounce, but when the best teams in the world rock up, you've got to come up to another level, not just to have any chance of winning but I think, at the minute, just to compete on the weekend.
"This Springbok juggernaut is just another level of machine at the minute, the way they play the game, the power, just how uncompromising they are, the set pieces - it's going to be a huge challenge for Wales. But in a round about way, I think it's the best team to be coming to town for Wales this weekend to really understand where we're truly at."
Shanklin: Wales could lose generation of fans
Former Wales and Lions centre Tom Shanklin believes Wales could risk losing a generation of rugby fans if the current malaise continues much longer.
Wales are currently on an 11-Test losing streak, which could become 12 when back-to-back world champions South Africa come to Cardiff on Saturday, while the regional game is in dire straits and the lack of proper funding could see fans supporters turning away from the game, resulting in a vicious cycle.
"There are some good players in Wales now, but there's just not enough. There's not enough quality coming through and we are going to see that for a while," Shanklin said of the current situation on the Flats and Shanks podcast.
"It's not as if next year, all of a sudden, we've got an abundance of talent coming through. We are stuck because of a lack of succession planning, investment at academy level and at the regions.
"By the time the players get to regional rugby, obviously you can improve them, but you want players coming into that environment with skillsets already, they've got the basics. You don't want to be teaching them to straighten lines or pass off your left (hand).
"That's why I think the lack of investment at academies is huge. We're not producing big players anymore. We can't outmuscle teams and play that way, so you have to play differently.
"I felt really sorry for Gats after the game. I've never seen him like that. If you look back to when Wales lost to Italy in the Six Nations, at least there was a bit of fight. At least he was throwing questions back. He just looked like a broken man in that interview with Sarra (Elgan). He just looked like there was nothing there.
"He coached me for the best part of 35 caps, but his second term in charge has been a disaster. Not all down to him, because he can only do what he can with the players he had.
"When he first took charge he had players who had played for 10 years. Now he has nowhere near the quality and I feel sorry for him. It's a collective blame. The WRU and all the way through.
"Because now you can't see any easy outcome or quick fixes. And I'm worried you're going to lose a generation of fans because of it as well.
"We are in a hole and I don't know how we are going to get out of it."
Rees-Zammit names Welshman as his 'first pick' for Lions
A number of former Lions players have been asked to name their "first pick" for next year's tour.
Given Wales' horrendous form over the last 12 months, it is not inconceivable that no Welshman feature in Andy Farrell's starting XV for the opening Test against the Wallabies.
However there is a lot of time and a Six Nations between now and that summer tour, of course.
Nevertheless, former Gloucester, Wales and Lions wing Louis Rees-Zammit believes scrum-half Tomos Williams should be the first name on the team sheet, per a social media post from the Lions official Instagram account.
Williams has been in stunning form for club and country, even though Wales and Gloucester have not had the best of times recently, and is a genuine contender for that nine jersey.
Sam Warburton believes England's Marcus Smith should be the shoo-in, while George Kruis picked out Maro Itoje. Chris Cusiter also went for his compatriot in Scotland star Finn Russell.
Ex- Ireland and Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe believes Caelan Doris is the standout selection.
