VIDEO: 'Coaching can become lonely' - Rassie comes to Gatland's defence

SPOTLIGHT – CARDIFF: Warren Gatland has received support from Rassie Erasmus ahead of the clash between the Springboks and Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

The Welsh are enduring a torrid time with a national record of 11 straight defeats.

Most fans and pundits are expecting that figure to creep up to 12 as Wales are given little to no chance of beating the world champions on Saturday.

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“Warren can’t all of a sudden become a bad coach with his track record,” said Erasmus.

“The players that they have, if you look at them individually, there are some world-class players there.

“I know the record of losing 11 on the trot is not great, but whenever we play a team who has their backs against the wall, we take ourselves back.

“Just before I took over, I think we lost 0-57 to New Zealand but then the next weekend we lost to the same team at Newlands by two points.

“I just know Warren is a great coach and we know they’ve got great players.

“It is not quite clicking there, but he is a guy who has fixed things before.”

Erasmus opened up on his last meeting with Gatland which was in June.

“It was at Twickenham when we last saw each other and we had a good chat about the [British and Irish] Lions series and just how coaching becomes lonely and cut-throat.

“When someone is under the pump you don’t wish anything bad for that person.

“I wouldn’t say I’d like him to beat us, but I would love him to be successful.

“Although we bumped heads in the past, he is a rugby man through and through and we had good discussions.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for him and I hope he gets the respect from everyone he deserves.”

Despite Wales’ form, the Springboks are still wary of their opponents.

“Sometimes you just turn it around because players believe in a coach.

“Sometimes the coach just says the right word and the team decides they are going to do it for the coach or the country.

“I can’t comment on what is going to happen to him [Gatland]. We are just preparing for the Wales that we know.”

@rugby365com