After braving a treacherous flight to Dublin through Storm Isha, Wales head coach Warren Gatland on Monday boldly predicted ‘you write us off at your peril’ for this year’s .

The start of 2024 marks the beginning of a new era in Welsh rugby. has an average age of just 25 after a series of senior figures stepped away. 

Gatland lost , Justin Tipuric, Ken Owens and Rhys Webb in the build-up to last year’s World Cup and since that tournament, Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny have retired. 

Gareth Anscombe and Liam Williams are unavailable for this Six Nations too after signing for Japanese clubs. Young wing Louis Rees-Zammit last week confirmed a

. 

That huge loss of talent – combined with the fact Wales have finished fifth in the last two tournaments with just two wins from their last 11 games – means . 

Warren Gatland has backed his Wales team to be a surprise package in the Six Nations

Gatland has lost a host of Test players to retirement including fly-half Dan Biggar (above)

Leigh Halfpenny has also called time on his career, retiring in November last year 

But at the Six Nations launch in Ireland, the Wales boss warned his team should not be underestimated. Wales face Scotland in in their first game on February 3. 

‘We go into the Six Nations with people probably not having too much expectation on us or writing us off and that’s always a nice position to be in,’ said Gatland.

‘It’s often said about Wales you write us off at your peril because we will work incredibly hard. ‘It’s one game at a time and if we start well against Scotland, we’ll build confidence and momentum.

’ 

Gatland also told the BBC Wales’ rivals could ‘get caught with your pants down’ if they think it will be easy to beat his team. He added: ‘We can absolutely win this tournament.’ Gatland has always instilled confidence in his players through the use of his media rhetoric and this was a classic example.

The reality is though Wales will do well to compete for this year’s title. Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake – co-captains of the team which made the World Cup quarter-finals – are out injured and so too is key No 8 Taulupe Faletau. 

Gatland has named Dafydd Jenkins, 21, as captain. The Exeter lock is set to become the youngest Wales skipper since Sir Gareth Edwards in 1968.

Welsh rugby’s four domestic sides – Dragons, Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets – are all experiencing financial struggles which mean money is tight and they have faced no choice other than to give their young players a chance this season. 

. Eight of Gatland’s 34-man squad have never played in the tournament. ‘Of all the tier one nations we’re the one with the smallest playing base so when we see some talent, sometimes we’ve got to expose them,’ Gatland said. 

Louis Rees-Zammit announced last week he was leaving rugby to play in the NFL

Star back Liam Williams is also unavailable after moving to play in Japan 

Dafydd Jenkins is set to become Wales' youngest captain since Sir Gareth Edwards in 1968

‘It’s not about age or experience, it’s about allowing that talent to develop. That’s why we’re exposing a few of those youngsters so they can get some experience. 

‘There’s a bit of doom and gloom and people will take that narrative but I don’t see it like that.

I see it as a reset of the regions financially and the 19, 20 and 21-year-olds now have an opportunity they wouldn’t have had in the past. That’s why we’ve selected some of them for the Six Nations.’

While Wales’ current squad certainly contains more youth than international knowhow, they do have the most experienced head coach in Gatland who is preparing for his 17th Six Nations. 

‘We’ve kept some quality and real experience with Gareth Davies and George North in the squad. It’s definitely thinking about the future,’ the New Zealander said. 

‘But the Six Nations is such an important competition for us.

It gives our youngsters the chance to develop through the next three to four years so they can get to a World Cup with 30, 40, 50 caps. 

George North could miss the Six Nations opener due to a shoulder injury

'We’re very young but that doesn't mean we’re not taking the competition seriously.’ 

Test centurion North is a doubt for the Scotland game after suffering a shoulder injury playing for the Ospreys in South Africa at the weekend. France’s hopes of Six Nations glory have also been hit by injury.

Forward Anthony Jelonch will miss the entire tournament due to a knee issue.

Giant lock Emmanuel Meafou has been ruled out of the tournament opener with defending champions Ireland and star man Antoine Dupont will be absent as he prioritises playing sevens ahead of this summer’s Olympics. Romain Ntamack, Thibaud Flament, Gabin Villiere and Paul Willemse are also missing.