Dan Biggar has doubled down on his view on Wales’ clash with Italy (Image: X/@ITVSport)
icon Dan Biggar has hit back at Warren Gatland by doubling down on his view that Wales’ clash with Italy is their most important game “for a long, long time”.
The 112-cap international had previously claimed the , leading Wales coach Gatland to play down the occasion.
But after losing 13 Test matches on the bounce, Biggar, 35, believes that the consequences of losing the game could be defining for the Dragons.
“It’s like anything, you say something and put it out there, people are going to agree or disagree with it,” Biggar said, speaking in the ITV studio.
“In isolation, a round two game Wales against Italy is clearly not as big a game as a World Cup semi-final or a Grand Slam decider.
“But it what it has got is the consequences of Wales losing today with Ireland to come, Scotland to come and England to come. Whatever is next to come off the back off 13 consecutive defeats.
“For me, the consquences are absolutely huge today and I stand by the fact this is Wales’ biggest game for a long, long time.”
Biggar was joined by former Wales centre Jamie Roberts, who took the side of his former colleague rather than Gatland and stated in no uncertain terms that it was a must-win game for his nation.
Wales coach Warren Gatland played down Dan Biggar’s comments (Image: Getty)
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“I agree with Dan. I think it’s a huge game but it’s in context of where Wales have been for the last year and who’s to come,” Roberts said.
“They’re playing the three home unions after this fixture, who are ranked higher than Wales at the minute. Welsh fans are looking round and thinking ‘this is the game Wales must win in this tournament’.
Biggar added: “I do think it’s a huge opportunity and a positive step for Wales, it’s a game they can win.
“The last couple of games against South Africa and France, they haven’t really thought they can win those games and nobody gave them a chance. This game today is a very winnable game.
Wales were thrashed 43-0 by France in their Six Nations opener (Image: Getty)
Gatland refuted the claim made by Biggar following the 43-0 defeat to France last Friday.
When it was put to him that Wales were facing the biggest game over the last two decades and that another loss could put his job under threat, Gatland said: “No it doesn’t, no.
“We’ve been in some close games and unfortunately we haven’t been able to get across the line.
“We know we are in a bit of a rebuilding phase so it’s definitely not the biggest game in Wales for the last 20 years.”