Gatland wields special powers

Wales 30 Scotland 15:Warren Gatland is turning into the Jose Mourinho of rugby, a dictator of events building a team in his own image.

Accusations of player power have dogged Wales since the departure of Mike Ruddock as head coach two years ago but there is no disputing who is in charge now. James Hook had followed up a man-of-the-match performance at Twickenham by creating his side's first try and scoring the second on Saturday, only for Gatland to haul off him and his halfback partner Mike Phillips, another pivotal figure against England, with 23 minutes to go.

Gatland had made two substitutions early in the second half against England that helped swing the momentum towards his side and he changed his halfbacks on Saturday at a time when Wales were surrendering the initiative. The former Chelsea manager Mourinho was never one to wait for a plan to burn up in front of his eyes; he looked to forestall the moment of ignition, occasionally making three substitutions at half-time.

While there seemed no immediately discernible reason for substituting Hook, the erosion of Wales's lead from 17-9 to 17-15 within three minutes had been down to three errors made by the outhalf. First, after receiving quick ruck ball just inside Scotland's half, he ignored two unmarked players on the wide outside and was turned over by Allister Hogg. Hugo Southwell counterattacked, the lock Ian Evans was penalised for going off his feet and Chris Paterson landed his third penalty.

Three minutes later Hook, after taking on defenders on halfway, was fortunate that Martyn Williams seized the loose ball to make a 22-metre break but the flanker's pass was intercepted by Mike Blair, who kicked just inside Wales's half. Hook gathered the ball but again took on defenders and was turned over. A free-kick and a penalty later, Scotland were within two points.

Gatland did not hesitate. He had on the bench in Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel halfbacks who had been part of the 2005 Grand Slam success.

They were brought on to exert control, duly shutting out the Scots by keeping the game simple, and, while it appeared a harsh call on Hook, who had created Wales's first try and had scored the second, Gatland got it right.

It would have made for a more interesting finish had Hook been able to switch sides and take the place of Dan Parks, whose time as Scotland's outhalf is surely over.

Scotland rarely threatened Wales's 22-metre line. And though Wales at times matched them for ordinariness, they had players who could take the game up several levels. Their three tries all contained elements of individual brilliance, from Hook's creation of space by feinting inside a split second before he passed, to the presence of mind of Duncan Jones, who resisted the temptation to stick his head down and charge, and the trickery of Shane Williams, who won the match with a 40-metre try awarded by the video referee, Carlo Damasco.

Wales will travel to Dublin, where Gatland has some unfinished business, next month in search of the Triple Crown. They used the away dressing-room on Saturday because Gatland felt the home one was too comfortable.

They do not yet have the hallmark of champions, but they have stopped leaking soft tries. They suddenly fear not just losing but the consequences of losing - the Mourinho effect.

WALES: Byrne (Ospreys); Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shanklin (Blues;), Henson (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); Hook (Ospreys), Phillips (Ospreys); Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Bennett (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys); Gough (Ospreys), Evans; Thomas (both Ospreys), M Williams (Blues), R Jones (Ospreys, capt). Replacements: Jenkins (Blues) for Duncan Jones (53 mins), S Jones (Scarlets) for Hook, Peel (Scarlets) for Phillips, Rees (Scarlets) for Bennett (all 58 minutes), Delve (Gloucester) for R Jones (62 mins), Deiniol Jones (Blues) for Gough, Parker (Ospreys) for Shanklin (both 76 mins).

SCOTLAND: Southwell (Edinburgh); Walker (Ospreys), De Luca (Edinburgh), Henderson (Glasgow), Paterson (Gloucester); Parks (Glasgow), Blair (Edinburgh); Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Ford (Edinburgh), Murray (Northampton); Hines (Perpignan), Hamilton (Leicester), White (Sale, capt), Barclay (Glasgow), Brown (Glasgow). Replacements: Hogg (Edinburgh) for White (35 mins), MacLeod (Scarlets) for Hines (62 mins), Danielli (Ulster) for Parks, Kerr (Edinburgh) for Murray (both 71 mins), Morrison (Glasgow) for De Luca (74 mins), Cusiter (Perpignan) for Blair, Thomson (Glasgow) for Ford (both 76 mins). Sinbinned: Hines (17 mins).

Referee: B Lawrence(New Zealand).

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