Gatland looked a broken man at times during the latter stages of 2024 but has bee publicly defiant before this latest campaign.
Pre-tournament comments have included how he believes Wales can win the tournament, how he is building “a siege mentality” and how people should write his side off “at their peril”.
He has also tried to heap pressure on France by stating he hopes Wales “can catch them cold” and highlighted the pressure his opposite number Fabien Galthie faces to defeat Wales comfortably.
In 2019, Gatland said if Wales beat France they would go on to win the Six Nations – exactly what happened.
Six years ago, you believed those swaggering sentiments. He also had the tools at his disposal to back up his actions with words.
Now it feels the Gatland soundbites are the right things to say but you wonder whether he believes them himself.
Speculation is rife this will be his final tournament, whatever might happen over the next two months. Gatland has accepted change is likely if signs of improvement are not shown during the Six Nations.
The 61-year-old has spoken himself about whether he needs the pressure and whether he could just retire to his beach house in New Zealand and reflect on his memorable achievements in the game.
Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney said Gatland’s position had been “on the line” as a review into the miserable autumn campaign commenced earlier this season.
He was given the green light to continue with another detailed assessment planned after Wales finish the tournament at home to England in mid-March.
There have been changes to Gatland’s staff. As well as scrum consultant Jones coming in, attack coach Alex King has left with Rob Howley taking over those responsibilities. How much that can influence events remains to be seen.
