LOCK Luke Charteris has defended the Wales management in the wake of last Saturday’s defeat at Twickenham.
Wales are now out of contention in the Six Nations with England crowned champions with a game to spare.
Despite only losing by four points, the poor nature of the Welsh performance has led many supporters to question the methods and game-plan.
However, Charteris insists there is nothing tactically wrong with Wales.
Racing 92 lock Luke Charteris defends Welsh game-plan
“We’ve had the same coaching set-up, the same team, the same pre-match ritual, the same routine and everything for the past eight years,” said the 32-year-old.
“It doesn’t seem to have let us down. We got beaten by a better team last Saturday and there are certain things we need to improve.
“But it’s one game and it’s not the case of anything like that needs to be changed.
“It was a bad day at the office for us, there is no hiding away from that, we went out there with a goal to win the game and give us a chance to play Italy at home with a chance of winning the championship.”
There has also been a suggestion that the Welsh players were not mentally prepared for Saturday’s championship decider.
“I can promise you going into the game boys were highly motivated because if we’d won that game we’d have had the opportunity to come back to Cardiff on the last weekend of the Six Nations knowing that all we’d have to do is win and we’d have won the championship,” said the Racing 92 lock.
“We trained well all week and were prepared for it.
“Obviously, it didn’t go how we wanted it to go in the game. I wish there was a simple answer, but it’s certainly not a lack of emotion or anything like that.
“We didn’t transfer that preparation and how we were feeling into the performance. That’s what we have to address.”
Wales finish the championship on Saturday against bottom side Italy who were thumped 58-18 by a resurgent Ireland last weekend.
“It’s a Test match, it’s at home and seriously if you write Italy off, you’ll pay the price for it,” he said.
“I suppose they are in transition, there’s quite a few teams that are changing whether it be new coaching set-ups or bringing new players in
“But it’s an international game, there’ll be no lack of motivation from their side of things coming off a defeat like that (58-15 in Ireland).
“Both teams will be out to right some wrongs and it should make for a good game.”
