Warren Gatland© (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Warren Gatland is nothing if not a tough old Kiwi. That is a compliment not a criticism.

Selection is probably the most important part of being a successful national coach and he knows it so there is no room for sentiment. You could imagine some, Ian McGeechan for example, offering a sleeve to cry on and becoming emotionally involved when they were wrestling with tough decisions but Gatland remains steadfastly detached.

So, the only statement when he announced his World Cup squad that did not ring true was when he volunteered, "the players who have missed out? - You feel for them massively." In reality he is totally pragmatic and determinedly refuses to get too close to the players. He is an autocratic boss and everyday knows it but because he is fair and has made some telling calls - dropping Brian O'Driscoll from the Lions' team for the third Test in Australia in 2013 for example - which have worked he also has total respect.

He has stuck to the same principles in finalising his World Cup squad. The statement I do believe is that he will drop Sam Warburton for Justin Tipuric if it is in the best interests of the team although I cannot see a situation where that is likely.

The Welsh challenge was in real danger of unravelling before the off because of one major weakness - the front row. Historically, the scrum has been more of a problem for Wales than any other area of the game. In my time we had a brief period of supremacy when the Pontypool front-row intimidated virtually all their opponents but we then had to wait almost three decades until Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones came along before we could recreate that all-important platform for the rest of the team to use as a springboard.

With Adam Jones gone it looked as if we were back to being constantly on the back foot and living off scraps, a guaranteed recipe for failure against the power-houses of world rugby however talented the rest of the side. Gatland chose to highlight the failure to compete at the breakdown and poor defence as the reasons for the poor showing against Ireland in Cardiff three weeks ago but that all started because Nicky Smith and Aaron Jarvis were completely out-scrummaged as were their replacements, Scott Andrews and Rob Evans. It is almost impossible to compete if you are constantly going backwards.

The coach was typically decisive. The general consensus is that the young Exeter prop, Tomas Francis, is one for the future - too young and not fit enough at the moment - but he is a huge man and in Dublin last weekend he teamed up with Jenkins to transform Wales' performance at the scrum. They were suddenly a different team.

It is not too fanciful to argue that Wales's chances of escaping the pool of death and making a real impact at this World Cup depend on Jenkins staying fit - definitely not a given with the calf muscle problems he has experienced in recent history - and Francis proving this was no flash in the pan to provide stability on the other side if Samson Lee struggles for full fitness.

The rest of the starting line-up looks pretty potent. Alun Wyn Jones is now as good as any second-row anywhere in the world and Jake Ball, Bradley Davies and Luke Charteris are all putting their hands up to earn the right to pack down beside him. The back row is one of the great strengths of the side and I can certainly see a situation where selection will be on a horses for courses basis - do we want to take Australia on head to head with Warburton and Tipuric or tighten things up with Dan Lydiate? The sort of dilemma every coach would welcome.

© (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Gatland's ruthlessness is perhaps most evident in his half-back selections. Mike Phillips and James Hook are history despite their huge experience and he is pinning his faith in the young guns - again there can be no argument on the evidence of recent contributions. Further out Jonathan Davies is a big loss but the back line still has plenty of fire-power.

That said we still suffer from the perennial Welsh problem - lack of strength in depth in vital areas. I cannot see any alternative to Jenkins and Francis or Lee starting every pool game including the opener against Uruguay but they need to be nursed through that first phase and taken out of the front-line as soon as a match is safe. When you make that call is not such a happy dilemma - too often we have seen games change shape completely after mass front row substitutions.

Behind the scrum I shall be worried if there is an injury to Jamie Roberts or Scott Williams and Wales need Alex Cuthbert and George North to be quickly back to their explosive best.

So, at best Wales have a side capable of making a real impact at this World Cup but such is the draw they will need everything to click if they are even going to make it to the knockout stage. The old saying 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' definitely applies to Group A and I fancy the winner to go all the way to the final.

Gatland has not missed a trick in selection and his preparation has been meticulous as usual. Now it is up to the players to deliver coupled with a lot of luck on the injury front.