Rugby World Cup: Warren Gatland won’t apologise for pushing Wales players ‘to limit’ during ‘brutal’ France build-up

Warren Gatland will not apologise for pushing his Wales players “to the limit” ahead of the Rugby World Cup in France.

The Welsh squad are set to embark on two gruelling training camps in the lead-up to September’s tournament.

The camps have become notorious for the physical and mental demands involved, but Gatland defended the intensity of the training he plans to put his players through.

“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.

“[Former Wales and current France defence coach] 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.”

A training squad of 49 players will report to the Vale of Glamorgan base next week for the first camp.

Gatland’s provisional 54-man training squad has been rocked by the withdrawal of several high-profile players.

Former captains Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric have both since announced their retirements from Test rugby, while Cory Hill and Rhys Webb dropped out to prioritise domestic moves.

Joe Hawkins, who has secured a move to Exeter Chiefs for next season, is eligible, while Rhys Carre has been cut from the squad for underperforming.

At the beginning of July, the squad will make use of the Alpine resort of Fiesch in Switzerland as they have done ahead of previous World Cup campaigns.

Later in the month, they’ll head to the Gloria Sports Arena in Turkey.