The Wales coach has revealed that he has concerns over Netflix’s new documentary series around the Six Nations.
Sports docu-series have exploded over the past few years with the likes of ‘The Last Dance’ proving that there is a huge audience out there.
Not only have these shows brought in revenue for Netflix but they have helped increase the viewership and popularity of the sport. A great example of this is ‘Drive to Survive’ which dramatically upped the ratings for Formula One and brought in new fans.
Other platforms have also jumped onto this trend like Amazon with their ‘All or Nothing’ series and Hulu with their stellar ‘Welcome to Wrexham’.
The next planned series for Netflix is based around the next Six Nations campaign but not everybody is overly enthused about the show.
Wales head coach, Warren Gatland admitted that he has concerns over the access that the crew will be given.
“I can tell you now that in a rugby environment, when you are talking about creating emotion, the language used isn’t always appropriate. Especially when you’re talking about nations playing each other…” he told The Guardian.
“In the past when we’ve had the crews that have been involved with Lions and Wales, what’s been really important is their ability to create a relationship with the players and the coaching team, so it’s almost like they become an invisible part of it.
“Then you find yourself just carrying on with your normal routine, because of the trust that you build up with them. So that’s the challenge with Netflix. At the moment my understanding is that we don’t have any editorial rights and that is a little bit of a concern because you want to make sure you are able to protect yourself…
“Sometimes you say something that is a little bit out of kilter when you’re trying to get the best out of players, or they’re trying to get the best out of each other.
“Some of the things that get said in the changing room might not be stuff that you actually always believe, but it’s part of getting the best out of your performance. And then afterwards you’re all friends and mates again.
“So there’s a few things that we need to be conscious of, and iron out. The last thing we need is to be bland in the way it comes across but I’m also conscious that we need to protect ourselves, too. That’s pretty important.”