Warren Gatland: The new Lions boss?
According to reports in the English press, Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland has been offered the British and Irish Lions coaching job for the 2013 tour of Australia.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that Gatland was offered the job following an interview with the Lions committee in London on Wednesday in the wake of his second Grand Slam success with Wales.
The 48-year-old, who served as an assistant to Sir Ian McGeechan on the 2009 tour of South Africa, is expected to be confirmed at the start of next month according to the report.
Gatland is currently on holiday in his native New Zealand but the newspaper reports that his representatives have opened discussions to finalise the details of what is believed to be a 12-month contract in line with Lions committee's desire for the coach to focus solely on his squad and not be part of the Six Nations.
Gatland has openly expressed his ambition to lead the Lions and the Welsh Rugby Union have given their blessing for a six-month release from his contract should he be given the job.
It is understood Gatland and the WRU are however keen for the Kiwi coach to remain in place during Wales' November internationals.
Comments
lawynd says...
Gatland has earnt a crack at the top job as far as I'm concerned, although it would be a good experience for Stuart Lancaster if he was offered a coaching role, assuming he gets the England job.
Posted 17:19 26th March 2012
jose_jones says...
@ Jediboy,.. to be perfectly honest,.. England were shocking in their first 2 games of the 6 nations,.. and loosing the first 2 would be loosing the series.... there won't be bedding in games for the test side.
Take off the England shirts and think of the lions for just one minute.
Posted 13:19 26th March 2012
daibok says...
@benski
I think pw29uk was having a dig about the nationality of some of the British & Irish players. I might be wrong.
Woodward? The worst, most profligate and one dimensional Lions coach of all time. You are surely having a laugh. Or are you an Aussie?
Posted 10:11 26th March 2012
Greenstone1408 says...
@benski Clive Woodward was a joke with the Lions in 2005. He used it as nothing more than a retirement tour for some of his old players. Watching those games in New Zealand was dreadful, the only thing that made the trip worth while was New Zealand itself because if I had just gone for the rugby only I would have completely wasted my time. Clive Woodward should never be mentioned for any future link with the Lions. The final nail in his coffin with regards to this was his inclusion of Spin doctor Campbell in his back room staff, as if the rest of it wasnt bad enough.
Posted 09:52 26th March 2012
Welshy says...
@benski and jediboy
Are you forgetting 2008? Gatland took a welsh side dumped out of the world cup by Fiji and in it's worst place in the rankings for a while and pulled them together, in the same time as Stuart Lancaster had, to actually win a grand slam. Seems pretty impressive to me. He also nurtured,in the same season, hane Williams to International Player of the Year!
I think the Lion's coach needs more than 5 International games under his belt. The Johnson experiment with Engalnd should be a warning to all about having a structured approach to bringing coaches onto the world stage.
Posted 08:32 26th March 2012
melkdave says...
If true its not an unexpected development and there is a change in the job this time round it will be a year long job ..No more trying to juggle national coaching responabilities with trying to asses players for the Lions squad.WG will have time to watch players for their clubs and at internationals from the start of next season and talk to the national and club coaches.As ive posted elsewhere its way to early to try and pick a Lions squad the work will start at the begining of next season.For the present im sure all WG is thinking about is leading Wales to a series win against Australia
Posted 14:37 25th March 2012
colvin says...
Actually it should be a repeat of the 2009 coaching team. They should have the incentive.The big disadvantage of a current national coach is the fact that it will probably disrupt his relationship with his national players as it did with Henry; or he could err by selecting his national favorites as Woodward did. I would have thought the Brits could have worked this one out without me having to tell them.
Posted 12:59 25th March 2012
pw29uk says...
@benski, I agree with using a British or Irish coach what about the players? All British and Irish as well?
Posted 12:53 25th March 2012
Jediboy says...
I agree benski. It would no doubt be a good experience for Lancaster, and he's done a wonderful job with England in a short period of time. But I suspect they'll go with Gatland because of his recent success, when maybe SL would be better because he's proven he can bring a team together and be successful with little time to prepare. I guess we will have to wait and see.
Posted 12:06 25th March 2012
Jediboy says...
Whilst I'm not a big fan of Gatland there is no doubt he's turned Wales into a good team and is a good coach. Does that make him the best man to coach the Lions?
I didn't know.
I thought Clive Woodward was the best man to coach the Lions, but that didn't work out that well.
Coaching the Lions isn't like coaching an international team. You haven't got several years to plan and develop. But no one else rally jumps out.
Posted 10:21 25th March 2012