It has been all change for Wales before the 2023 World Cup - and now there will also be a new captain. Maybe even more than one.

After already suffering the loss of Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, Gatland has been left with his own captaincy conundrum.

Gatland says he will form a leadership committee and announce his decision when he names his 33-man World Cup squad in late August with the final warm-up game against South Africa.

The Wales coach has mentioned the idea of co-captains for the tournament which starts in France in September. Gatland might consider younger options like Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan, and established names such as Dan Biggar and Adam Beard.

What Wales have lost

Wales have lost four former captains from the original 54-man World Cup extended party with Jones and Tipuric announcing international retirements, Cory Hill choosing to continue playing his club rugby in Japan and now Owens' back injury.

The numbers are stark with more than 400 Wales appearances between that quartet. Jones himself has played 158 internationals for Wales and 12 Tests for the British and Irish Lions, leading that side on four occasions in 2013 and 2021.

Jones also captained Wales 48 times, including the 2019 Grand Slam and 2021 Six Nations successes, while Owens and Tipuric are just short of the 100-international mark.

Owens captained Wales in this year's Six Nations when he became the oldest skipper of his nation at the grand age of 36.

The Scarlets hooker was also at the forefront of discussions when Wales' players threatened to go on strike before the game against England in a contractual row with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

Former Wales prop and under-20s coach Chris Horsman outlined the magnitude of Owens' absence.

"Ken is a leader of men and showed his worth particularly during the Six Nations which was an incredibly challenging time on and off the field," said Horsman.

"Ken stood up, particularly around the talks, and showed his worth to that group with his leadership and values. He is such a well-respected figure within that camp and will be a huge loss."

Dual responsibility

So how do you replace that knowledge and wisdom? Is it a job for one man or will Gatland perhaps go down the route of co-captains to help fill the void?

This is a policy he adopted in 2018 for summer Tests against South Africa and Argentina when he rested a host of senior players and gave the joint leadership roles to Hill and Ellis Jenkins.

It is also a tactic Eddie Jones has chosen for Wales' World Cup pool rivals Australia for the Rugby Championship after selecting Michael Hooper and James Slipper to lead his squad.

Gatland has mooted the possibility after admitting nobody is currently guaranteed a place in the starting side and Horsman is a fan of the co-captaincy concept.

"I think that is definitely the way to go for Wales," Horsman told the BBC Radio Wales Breakfast programme.

"In recent years Wales have been lucky to those standout characters to lead the group like Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones.

"Warren has been talking about the values and standards of the ethos of this team he is trying to create and that is what he is looking for in co-captains.

"He will choose a couple of players who represent the DNA of a team. It will potentially be an older player like Dan Biggar or maybe even someone like Dan Lydiate who epitomises those values.

"And then maybe a younger player like Dewi Lake who is tenacious and fearless and represents the new breed of Welsh players."

Young-gun captain?

If Gatland could find the inexperienced individual who he believes can carry the weight of captaincy on his own shoulders, he could replicate what he did in 2011 when he made Warburton Wales' youngest captain in World Cup history aged 23.

Ospreys hooker Lake is an option for that role. Ex-Wales hooker Scott Baldwin, who played during the 2023 Six Nations campaign and has just announced his retirement, believes another Ospreys player could also fill that position.

"There is a huge opportunity for somebody like Jac Morgan now," said Baldwin.

"If you think back to 2011 when Gats [Warren Gatland] put Sam in charge. I think he [Morgan] has a big future in terms of captaincy. Jac does his talking on the pitch but is also a good talker off the field and leads by example."

Established options

If Gatland was looking for an established figure within the squad who have recent leadership experience, fly-half Biggar and lock Beard will be top of his list.

Biggar was Wayne Pivac's skipper during the 2022 Six Nations and summer tour of South Africa later that year where Wales achieved a first men's away win over the Springboks.

Biggar revelled in the role and indicated he wanted to keep the responsibility before Gatland gave the job to Owens for the 2023 Six Nations campaign.

Gatland has traditionally preferred forwards as his on-field leaders and Beard would fit that bill. Vice-captain under Biggar, the 27-year-old lock has played 46 international for Wales and has impressed Gatland in the pre-World Cup training camps.

"I've got to give credit to someone who's worked his butt off, and I know he gets a huge amount of criticism from fans and stuff, but Adam has really worked hard," said Gatland on the Scrum V podcast.

"He's coming in in good shape. I'd love to see him be able to shut a few people up and for them to go 'actually, in fairness to him, he looks good'."

So a senior figure, young buck, two men for the role or a complete wildcard? We await what Gatland chooses to do.