Warren Gatland left "hurting" after second Wales exit

Warren Gatland says he is "hurting" following his departure as Wales head coach.

Gatland left his role on February 11 by mutual agreement with the Welsh Rugby Union following a run of 14 successive Test defeats.

The New Zealander's second reign as Wales boss delivered just six wins in 26 Tests, with Matt Sherratt appointed on an interim basis for remaining Guinness Six Nations games against Ireland, Scotland and England.

"The negativity will go away, it will go. Am I hurting a little bit? Yes, of course I am hurting. But I will get over that quickly," Gatland told the Telegraph.

Gatland reflected on what he called the "must-win" nature of Wales' Six Nations clash against Italy, which his team lost 22-15 and proved to be his last match in charge.

"If we didn't win that game, then I'd have to seriously consider my position. It would be the best time and the best thing for everyone to walk away.

"In the past I have gone into games always nervous. But excited, a little bit apprehensive, nervous about what's going to happen.

"Recently, I've been going into games nervous, probably not feeling that sort of positivity and not having that belief. Almost dreading the game and the results and the negativity that follows.

"I've felt a huge amount of negativity in the Welsh press, and that just kept weighing down on me. I just kept thinking, 'where is someone in my corner or someone fighting a little bit for me?"'

Gatland's second spell in charge contrasted starkly with the first between 2008 and 2019, when Wales won Six Nations titles, Grand Slams, reached two World Cup semi-finals and were briefly world-ranked number one team.