Rugby-Home of Solidarity provides temporary base for Wales

LONDON Feb 2 (Reuters) - Gdansk, the Baltic port where the Solidarity free trade union emerged in 1980 under future Poland president Lech Walesa, has played host this year to the Wales national team preparing for the Six Nations championship.

The Welsh team held two separate camps in Spala before last year's World Cup and were impressed by the benefits of an intensive training programme, including the use of cryotherapy chambers where temperatures plunge to minus 160 degrees Celsius.

They decided to return to Poland again this year for a week's training in Gdansk before travelling to Dublin this week for Sunday's opening match against Ireland.

"I do really enjoy it," Wales captain Sam Warburton said at the official championship launch in London last week.

"I love training, if I wasn't playing professional rugby I would be training every day of the week anyway. A week in Poland, there are no distractions, there is just you, you eat, train and sleep, eat, train and sleep.

"It's the training which is hard, going into the chambers is the easy bit. You walk in for four minutes, you walk out, you are still nice and dry."

Coach Warren Gatland attributes Wales's spirited displays at last year's World Cup in New Zealand to the confidence gained during the gruelling physical workouts in Poland.

"We believed in our conditioning, the players were very confident in how fit we were," Gatland said. "That gave us a massive amount of confidence knowing that we could physically go in and match or finish on top of anyone in the World Cup.

"New Zealand is the hardest country in the world to go and earn a bit of respect. We did this as a team."

INJURY PROBLEMS

Wales's hopes of reaching the World Cup final against New Zealand were effectively scuppered in the 18th minute of their semi-final against France when Warburton was sent off for a dangerous tackle.

They still lost by a point only and Warburton is not dwelling on what might have been.

"It's not an issue to be honest," he said. "My grandad died before Christmas and I kind of realised there were more important things in life and much worse things can happen.

"Obviously at the time I was devastated at the red card but I have had plenty of support from my family and people back home have been great as well. It's not an issue and it's dead and dusted now, people are ready to move on."

Wales have been hard hit by injuries this year with both first choice locks Alun Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris out of action along with loosehead prop Gethin Jenkins.

They have delayed naming a side until Friday in the hope that flyhalf Rhys Priestland (knee), blindside flanker Dan Lydiate (ankle) and centre Jamie Roberts (knee) will be able to play in Dublin.

James Hook, who failed to impress in New Zealand, will substitute for Priestland if necessary and Gatland suggested Leigh Halfpenny would take over the goalkicking duties.

Gatland said Ireland would be difficult opponents in the opening game, especially after the impressive form of their club teams in the Heineken Cup.

"But we have to look back and reflect what we did in New Zealand, how well we played," he said. "We went to New Zealand and played with no fear and ideally we want to build on this confidence going into the Six Nations."

Warburton said the teams were similar in style.

"We have got some great backs and a good, strong forward pack and I'm really looking forward to the backrow battle as well," he said.

"If we manage to win that it sets us up with three home games in the four remaining fixtures which puts us in a good strong position." (Editing by Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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