London: Wales intend to train in the searing heat of Qatar to prepare for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in England from September 18 to October 31 next year — BBC Sport reported yesterday.
A high-altitude camp in Switzerland is also being planned before their warm-up matches for the tournament.
“We are going to sleep high, train low, going up by cable car to sleep,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland.
After the training camps, Gatland’s side are expected to play friendlies against Ireland and Italy in August and September 2015.
Wales will face hosts England, Australia and Fiji after their
opening match against either Russia or Uruguay on September 20 in Pool A.
The two sides play each other in a two-legged play-off on September 27 and October 11 for a place in the World Cup.
The Wales squad prepared for the 2011 tournament with two separate intensive training camps in Poland.
They finished fourth after losing to France 8-9 in the semi-final, playing 61 minutes with 14 men, after captain Sam Warburton was controversially sent-off.
Gatland said his squad will spend up to 14 days in Switzerland as part of their 2015 preparations.
“The thing with the altitude training is not so much that
you train at it, it’s just the physiological benefits you get from it,” he added.
“The challenge is doing that in Switzerland at altitude and also at 45-50 degrees centigrade in Qatar.” AGENCIES
