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Warren Gatland demands answer to how wrong Wales sub was sent on to replace Mason Grady

Mason Grady was injured after just 20 minutes, leaving Wales exposed
Mason Grady was injured after just 20 minutes, leaving Wales exposed - Ian Cook/Getty Images

Warren Gatland has demanded answers after a breakdown in communication with his technical team saw Wales make a wrong substitution during their defeat by Fiji.

Wales had taken a selection gamble with only two backs and no replacement centre or winger on their bench, a decision which was exposed when Mason Grady was forced off after just 20 minutes with an ankle injury.

With Grady unable to continue, fly-half Sam Costelow provided cover on the wing but Gatland later admitted that scrum-half Ellis Bevan was the intended replacement.

“I need to get to the bottom of that,” said Gatland, whose side led 14-10 at the break but slipped to a 10th consecutive Test defeat. “We were talking and said we’re going to put Ellis on. And then Sam ran on the field. I think he might have assumed he was the person going on. We had already had those discussions with Ellis that if we do lose a winger, you’re going to need to cover us there.”

Sam Costelow came on but was not Warren Gatland's intended sub
Sam Costelow came on but was not Warren Gatland’s intended sub - Ian Cook/Getty Images

When asked if he rued his decision to field a six-two split on the bench, Gatland replied: “Probably. We’re going to get a bit of bad luck and it happened today. It’s difficult. We had a long debate about that and a long discussion about the six-two split. The first time you do that and you get caught in the one position you’re a bit vulnerable.”

Despite overseeing a 10-match losing streak in his second spell in charge of the national team, Gatland identified “good stuff” among some of his younger personnel. A total of 16 players in Wales’s match-day squad against the Pacific Islanders had seven caps or fewer.

“We’ve seen development from those youngsters. We’ve said we need some patience and time,” he said. “I understand Test-match rugby is about performing and winning. You control the narrative and write what you want. I’ll see what happens there.”