The six nations of 2017 were a bit disappointing for Wales because the team of which I was part ended fifth, although I do not believe that this final position reflects our strength.
I remembered that campaign last week when Matt Sherratt was appointed interim coach of Wales because that tournament was the first time I worked with him.
Eight years ago, Matt, that everyone in Welshman knows as 'jockey', joined the Wales camp as an assistant attack coach and as the no 10 at that time, we work closely together. It was an excellent addition. Jockey meetings were always very funny.
It often began with a break, a laugh or a joke to lighten the mood. Test Rugby is a serious business, but one thing in which Jockey is great is to make sure there is a balance for the environment between hard work and a bit of fun. We often had informal meetings about coffee, looking at the laptop and discussing the attacker moves together.
Jockey's positive approach is exactly what Wales needs at this time. After a race of 14 consecutive losses, it is clear that something did not work and things had to change.
Warren Gatland has now gone as a chief coach as a result. No one can argue with what Warren did in his first spell with Wales.
Matt Sherratt has been put by Wales for the rest of the six nations
Wales has reached the bottom of the rock after losing its last 14 test games and face to Ireland on Saturday
After having worked with Sherratt, I think his positive approach is exactly what Rugby Welsh needs
Your successes will never be removed. His greatest strength for me was to instill confidence in us as players, which allowed us to hit over our weight games and win.
There are broader mitigating circumstances, but that was clearly not happening this time. In many ways, eliminating Warren was the easy decision for Welsh rugby.
Now, his next big calls are configured to define the game in Wales during the next 10 to 15 years. I really think that is the case.
The Welsh Rugby union has to take the permanent successor to Warren and the director of Rugby appointments correctly.
Just when Warren was tried for the results and paid the price for a series of 14 consecutive losses, the WRU hierarchy will be judged by the great decisions they make now.
It is not an easy position for them. My opinion is that Ronan O'Gara would be the perfect man to take training work, but said he is not too interested in doing so.
Simon Easterby is an appointment that would make a lot of sense. He knows that the Welsh system plays and trains in the scarlets and lives in the Glamorgan Valley.
But Easterby is currently in charge of Ireland for these six nations and is working on a really stable and successful environment. Did you want to leave? Only he will know.
Warren Gatland left his position last week after a large series of results, but his first spell by Wales will not be forgotten
Ronan O'Gara would be the perfect long -term replacement, but does not seem particularly interested in work
Simon Easterby would also be a strong candidate, but he may not want to leave Ireland
For me, Wales needs someone with new ideas, but what the WRU has to do is look at the whole Welsh rugby ecosystem and not just the national team.
That's where Rugby director enters. It is a great job. If the road systems do not improve, Wales could have EraSmus as a chief coach and things would not yet change.
While the WRU is contemplating all these things in the background, Ireland is coming on the horizon on Saturday. It is a discouraging challenge for Wales and Jockey.
But I think it is one to those who players will assume.
Do not be misunderstood, nobody expects Wales to go from 14 losses in a row to derail the offer of Grand Slam of Ireland. So, it means that this weekend is essentially a free photo.
Wales have to go to a mainsty stadium with the mentality to try to attack Ireland because if they only seek to absorb them, they will not have any opportunity.
Jockey will conduct that mental change. The fact that he brought Gareth Anscombe, Max Llewellyn and Jarod Evans directly to his team last week showed that he is not afraid to shake things. And with a minimum preparation time, it made sense to name the players early. The background for Ireland with Gareth at age 10, Ben Thomas at age 12 and Llewellyn at age 13 has a good balance. The crucial thing is that all these guys know Jockey well.
Like 10, I know how difficult it is to change the focus of a team in just a matter of days. You can't tear things totally and start over. But in his defeats of the six nations in France and Italy until now, Wales has really struggled to gain physical collisions and cross the line of gain.
Although I am no longer in the Wales camp, the selection of the background, in addition to choosing two Openside flankers in Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell, points towards a significant change in style and focus. Jockey is a very technical coach.
It focuses a lot on the execution lines and time. He wants all his players, regardless of whether you are a striker or back, to be able to play with the ball.
He bringing Nicky Smith back to Loosehead is a good example of that. In what Nicky is really good for a front -row striker is to make pop passes and step on the line.
The key to the Jockey game plan is to vary the attack point.
No one expects Wales to see Ireland this weekend, so it's a free shot for Sherratt
Sherratt has made some significant changes in the Wales team, including bringing Gareth Ansocombe back (in the photo), and this should lead to improved performance
In his last games under Warren, Wales' attack has been very predictable and easy to defend. There has not been much deception and Welsh carriers have reached brick walls. When you don't have big and powerful players to cross defensive lines, that means you end up without going quickly.
I think Jockey has recognized that Wales needs to play differently with the players they have.
Your philosophy will be on a lot of ball movement on the line and create many passes to move the point of contact. Gareth is obviously key to this as not 10.
But the responsibility is in all areas, whatever the number on its back. Jockey will also want a quick rhythm, so I wait to see Wales playing and moving from penalties and throwing alignments early. You must adapt to the SCRum Tomas Williams to the ground.
Jockey speaks a lot as a coach about what he calls 'robbery numbers' in everything his teams do. What that means is to overcome your opposition to create an additional man and, therefore, more space to attack. One way Jockey will seek to do that is that their strikers take off the Rucks effectively to minimize the numbers that Ireland will have on the defensive line.
In addition, I would like to see Wales kicking more as a weapon of attack. Against Italy, his kick game was really poor. The kick is often seen as a negative tactic, but uses the correct way in which it can be a great weapon of attack. Gareth is excellent for executing that type of play.
Ellis Mee is ready for a debut in Wales in the wing. I don't know much about him, but he is a great guy like Tom Rogers. Both are good in the air, although the loss of Josh Adams due to an injury is a blow.
Ireland has a very good kick game, but Wales could be happy in that area. Ireland has a great strength in depth, but they lose Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong and Ronan Kelleher is also a bit impulse for Wales. Ireland, of course, are still firm favorites.
But I think we will see signs of improvement of Wales with jockey to the helm.