Welsh Rugby
Gatland pleased with Polish camps
ESPNscrum Staff
July 30, 2011
Wales coach Warren Gatland chats with fly-half Stephen Jones at a Wales training session, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, February 2, 2011
Warren Gatland © Getty Images
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Wales head coach Warren Gatland has revealed that his squad's recent training camps in Poland were more about building mental strength than muscle.

A number of professional sides have availed of the conditioning facilities at Spala but Gatland explained that their two visits to the facility were about far more than improving fitness levels.

"It was tough physically, it was tough mentally and the players were pushed hard," Gatland told BBC Wales Sport. "They responded extremely well. It was about building that mental toughness - something we've been criticised for.

"We know we've got good footballers and they're in pretty good shape physically. But sometimes it's that mental edge that has cost us games in the past when we haven't quite switched on or had a little lapse in concentration or haven't quite nailed a critical moment in a game and it's been incredibly costly."

Gatland felt that the visits to Poland enabled them to get away from the recent off-the-field controversies surrounding the squad.

"Spala is in the middle of nowhere so there were no temptations," he said. "In fairness to the players, they called both camps to be dry so there was no drinking. We didn't go out and have a drink at all. The whole focus was rugby and just concentrating on that and preparing for the World Cup."

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