The appointment of Warren Gatland as Wales coach in 2007 kick-started a new successful period for the national team.

Gatland succeeded Gareth Jenkins after Wales had been knocked out of the 2007 World Cup at the group stage following a 38-34 defeat to Fiji.

It was a new low for a team who had won just six games from 20 under Jenkins' tutelage. Jenkins departed within 24 hours of the Fiji loss and, in December, Gatland took on the task of trying to revitalise a squad who had won the Grand Slam as recently as 2004.

Gatland selected Wasps coach Shaun Edwards and former Wasps scrum-half Rob Howley as part of his backroom staff, and a Welsh revival was soon under way.

In Gatland's first game Wales secured an unlikely victory over England, their first win at Twickenham since 1988, which set in motion a Grand Slam-winning campaign.

A summer tour to South Africa resulted in a 2-0 series defeat but, despite a record 43-17 loss in the first Test, it was far from a disaster for a team shorn of key players.

A 21-18 defeat of Australia in Cardiff in November 2008 saw Wales become the only northern hemisphere side to record a victory over a Tri-Nations team that autumn.

Wales started the 2009 Six Nations as overwhelming favorites, but after an impressive win over Scotland in their opening game their form floundered with defeats to France and eventual Grand Slam winners Ireland.