Gatland must rediscover Wales winning formula soon - Biggar

Former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar believes Warren Gatland tin move struggling Wales astir but says nan caput coach will look accrued unit if his side's losing tally continues.

The 34-year-old is among a number of knowledgeable players Wales person mislaid successful caller years, having retired from world rugby aft past year's World Cup.

Since nan quarter-final conclusion to Argentina successful France, Wales person mislaid 9 successive internationals and slipped to 11th successful nan world rankings, their lowest ever position.

Gatland's broadside look Fiji, Australia and South Africa successful Cardiff successful November.

"I person respect for nan coaching unit who are location astatine nan infinitesimal and Rob Howley coming backmost into nan operation will make a immense difference," said Biggar, who played 112 Tests for Wales.

Former Ospreys fly-half Biggar continues to play for French nine Toulon, who he joined successful November 2022 from Northampton.

He featured successful 3 World Cups for Wales and was portion of a trio of Six Nations-winning sides, including 1 Grand Slam.

Biggar believes Wales adjunct coach Howley will person important power aft he returned to Gatland's backroom staff earlier this year.

"Rob is simply a superb coach and he and Warren are knowledgeable capable to get them retired of it [the losing run]," added Biggar, who has besides been connected 2 British and Irish Lions tours and played 3 Tests against nan Springboks successful 2021.

"I deliberation this autumn Wales will astonishment a fewer group and get complete nan statement against Fiji and Australia, and nan scenery would alteration then.

“I americium much optimistic than possibly different people.”

However, Biggar warns that if Wales do not commencement delivering immoderate results, Gatland's position will travel nether scrutiny.

"If you look astatine nan minute, Welsh rugby's successful a small spot of a hole," Biggar said.

"There has to beryllium a spot of acceptance [that] players near aft nan World Cup and nan magnitude of acquisition lost. It's a new, young side.

"But if results proceed to spell nan measurement they are, Warren's been astir nan crippled agelong capable to cognize location are going to beryllium questions asked.

"He will travel nether unit nan aforesaid arsenic Wayne [Pivac] did erstwhile he was successful charge. Only clip will tell."

While he has respect for his erstwhile coach’s abilities, Biggar has revealed he had a sometimes fraught narration pinch nan 61-year-old New Zealander during his playing days.

"I person nan utmost respect for Gats arsenic a coach, what he has achieved pinch Wales, what we achieved together," Biggar added connected BBC Radio Wales.

"The narration pinch Warren was professional, it wasn't an overly lukewarm one.

"It was 1 of communal respect. I conscionable felt connected a mates of occasions we could person done things better."

The narration pinch Gatland is 1 of nan subjects Biggar covers successful his caller autobiography.

The fly-half has highlighted incidents specified arsenic erstwhile nan Wales squad threatened to onslaught for nan 2023 Six Nations crippled against England complete subordinate contractual issues.

While acknowledging Gatland was successful a difficult position because he was a Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) employee, Biggar accused nan coach of siding pinch nan governing assemblage during its conflict pinch players and expressed frustrations astatine nan last outcome.

Biggar besides criticised Gatland for a newspaper file nan coach wrote aft a World Cup warm-up crippled successful August 2023.

Gatland's file criticised Biggar for having an statement pinch Owen Farrell astatine Twickenham aft nan England's skipper precocious tackle connected Taine Basham, which resulted successful a reddish paper for nan location skipper.

Biggar besides stated that astatine 1 constituent successful 2023 he wondered whether Gatland was nan coach he had erstwhile been, though conceded Wales' advancement to nan past 8 of nan World Cup had justified his reappointment by nan WRU.

"I americium nan first to opportunity I americium not an angel aliases easy to manage," Biggar told the Scrum V podcast.

"We are some stubborn and didn't thief each different successful that sense, but it's 1 of those things.

"There will beryllium bits successful nan book group will publication but it's important to item Warren's CV arsenic a coach, it's important to statement we were very successful nether him.

"His first clip successful Wales, he changed nan Welsh rugby scenery and made Wales into what we were.

"Now we are disappointed we can't rather get backmost location astatine nan minute."

Biggar uses his book to criticise nan measurement successful which nan WRU handled Pivac's sacking and Gatland's rehiring arsenic Wales caput coach successful December 2022.

He wrote that nan alteration was made successful a "shabby and insensitive manner" and proved financially ruinous, pinch much than £1m spent connected pay-outs to 3 sacked coaches and nan costs of rehiring Gatland.

"This is successful nary measurement a reflection of Warren's salary. If personification offers you a salary, you are not going to opportunity no," Biggar added connected BBC Radio Wales.

"What I felt was difficult to comprehend was that players were getting ridiculous statement offers, saying there's nary money successful nan crippled etcetera, but location was a batch of money which had been spent connected hiring and firing.

"If you are saying there's nary money disposable but past you find nan champion portion of £1m to occurrence 3 coaches, you person to beryllium capable to reply those questions.

"The biggest point was that nan connection wasn't awesome successful amongst each these bits and pieces that person gone connected amongst nan turbulent times successful Welsh rugby."

Biggar accepts his illustrious profession would not person been imaginable without nan support of his mum Liz, who passed distant 3 years ago, soon earlier nan Lions were owed to recreation to South Africa.

"I retrieve going into infirmary to spot her conscionable aft nan Lions [squad] was announced that day," said Biggar.

"We didn't cognize what was going to hap pinch her astatine that constituent and she said, 'Don't you moreover deliberation astir not going connected circuit if I americium still present aliases if things are looking a spot iffy'.

"She passed distant a mates of days aft that. It was a really reliable time.

"For nan first six months aft she passed distant it felt unusual getting successful nan car, driving to training and not phoning her.

"It has been almost been a tougher play since she passed distant because she has missed retired connected maine being a Test Lion, winning 100 caps, moving to France and a caller grandson.

"The book is dedicated to her. I dream she will beryllium proud."