Gatland warns rivals not to underestimate Wales' young guns

DUBLIN : Wales lost several experienced players in 2023 and head into the Six Nations Championship with a new-look young squad, but coach Warren Gatland has warned rivals not to write them off as they prepare to meet Scotland in their opener in Cardiff on Feb. 3.

Retirement, injury, overseas contracts that make players ineligible and even defections to other sports has left Gatland with a major rebuild, most notably losing wing Louis Rees-Zammit last week after he decided to give American Football a go.

"We have got an average age of 25 at the moment, so it is very young," Gatland told reporters on Monday. "There are five new caps and eight others who have never played in the Six Nations. They will learn and develop from the experience.

"I need to give these youngsters the opportunity to develop over the next three or four years, so they get to a World Cup with 40 or 50 caps."

But any suggestion Wales may sacrifice results to gain that experience was quickly quashed by Gatland.

"We probably go in with people not having a huge amount of expectation on us. But you write us off at your peril because we will work incredibly hard over the next couple of weeks," he said.

"It is one game at a time, if we start well against Scotland, then the thing we know about this tournament, if you build confidence (anything is possible). Then we go to Twickenham (against England in their second game) without much fear.

"The thing about Welsh players is that when they get a couple of wins under their belt, they are incredibly difficult to beat. That is what I am putting my hopes on anyway."

Gatland has also called on his young players to seize the moment.

"When you see talent, sometimes you have to expose them before they are quite ready, looking to