Rugby World Cup Pool C: Meet the head coaches in charge of each nation

Dylan Coetzee
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Split with head coaches Simon Raiwalui (Fiji), Eddie Jones (Australia) and Warren Gatland (Wales).

Split with head coaches Simon Raiwalui (Fiji), Eddie Jones (Australia) and Warren Gatland (Wales).

The Rugby World Cup is ever so close and is set to be the most competitive edition of the global showpiece yet. There is still so much to discuss ahead of the action. Next up is a closer look at the coaches in Pool C.

Wales – Warren Gatland

Warren Gatland is one of the two most experienced coaches in the Pool and the World Cup itself. Gatland used to play as a hooker from the mid-80s to mid-90s, winning 140 caps for Waikato during that period. That, in turn, led to 17 Tests for the All Blacks.

However, his playing career pales in comparison to his coaching career, which started with Galwegians RFC from Ireland in 1989, where he was a player/coach. In 1994, he returned to New Zealand in an assistant role with Thames Valley, where he spent two years. That was before he was coaxed back to Ireland to take over Connacht, this time in 1996.

Two seasons later Gatland was brought in to replace Brian Ashton as Ireland’s head coach – his first lead job at Test level. The job did not prove ultra successful, with the coach being relieved of his duties after two years at the helm.

Soon after, he joined Wasps and clicked with the team, winning three Premiership titles on the bounce, a Champions Cup and a Challenge Cup. After three years with Wasps, he returned to Waikato and the Chiefs in 2005 before being named as head coach of Wales in 2007.

Gatland would stay in the role for a whopping 12 years leading Wales to some great heights, including three Grand Slams. His team became renowned for ‘Warrenball’ based on a tight defence and frustrating the opposition.

His success in the position would catch the eye of the British & Irish Lions, who he coached on several tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021 after assisting the side in 2009 under Sir Ian McGeechan.

After the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Gatland left his position with Wales only to return to it at the end of 2022 with the team in a bad way. He is looking to almost totally reconstruct the top end of Welsh rugby at the moment.

Accolades

(Wasps)
Premiership: 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005
Champions Cup: 2003/2004
Challenge Cup: 2002/2003

(Wales)
Grand Slams: 2008, 2012, 2019

Australia – Eddie Jones

Another legendary and very experienced coaching figure who is never shy to voice his thoughts. Jones was a good hooker during his playing days playing for his beloved Randwick 210 times and New South Wales 12 times, but he did not earn selection for the Wallabies.

He gave his role as a teacher to coach full time, beginning with Randwick before stints with Tokai University as an assistant as well as Suntory Sungoliath – a club he would develop a lifelong partnership with.

Jones returned to Australia in 1998 with the Brumbies and, after a rocky first season, transformed the team, winning the Super 12 in 2001. His exploits would get him a spot as Australia ‘A’ coach for the British & Irish Lions fixture that same year.

Things fast-tracked with Rod Macqueen leaving his post at the helm of the Wallabies, opening the door for a young Jones to take charge of his country. Straight away, the side went on to win the Tri-Nations that year.

Two years later, Jones went close to a dream World Cup at home in Australia but ultimately lost to England in the final. He would stay with the Wallabies until 2005 before being sacked for poor results.

His next move was as a technical advisor for Saracens before he returned to Australia with Reds – a job he openly admits he regretted taking. It only lasted the 2007 season before he left to join Jake White at the Springboks in an advisory capacity during the team’s World Cup triumph.

Jones continued his work with Saracens until 2009, when he returned to Suntory Sungoliath but as head coach this time around. After three years in the country, he was offered the head coach role with Japan, which saw a meteoric rise for the team. Jones would lead Japan to a victory over the Springboks in 2015 – one of the tournament’s great upsets.

After the tournament, he joined the Stormers, but before he took charge of a game, he was poached by England, where he spent the next seven years.

Jones would enjoy a successful period with England, which included three Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam and a World Cup final in 2019. However, intense pressure from the media over poor performances and radical decisions practically forced the Rugby Football Union to sack Jones at the end of 2022.

He did not wait for long until the Wallabies came calling asking him to fix a broken team with a 38% win rate during the three years prior. His return has not gone swimmingly, as he is winless from five, but he has made dramatic changes and appears to be targeting development for the 2027 World Cup to be hosted in Australia.

Accolades

(Brumbies)
Super 12: 2001

(Australia)
Tri-Nations: 2001
Bledisloe Cup: 2001, 2002

(Suntory Sungoliath)
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship: 2011
Top-League: 2012

(Japan)
Asian Five Nations/Asian Rugby Championship: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup: 2014

(England)
World Rugby Coach of the Year: 2017
Grand Slam: 2016
Six Nations: 2016, 2017, 2020

Fiji – Simon Raiwalui

Born in New Zealand but grew up in Australia, Raiwalui was a well-travelled lock during his playing for Sale Sharks, Newport, Saracens and Racing 92 during his career.

His form at club level resulted in 39 appearances for Fiji and three for the Pacific Islanders side.

He began his coaching career with Racing 92 in 2012, a year after his retirement. He doubled up as a team manager during this period before settling in the manager role only between 2013 and 2014. This resulted in moves between Stade Francais and Biarritz as an assistant coach until, in 2018, he spent some time coaching in the Wallabies set-up for two seasons.

Raiwalui was brought on as a scrum coach by Fijian Drua in 2021, coinciding with his new role as General High-Performance Manager of the Fiji Rugby Union.

His first head coach role came only earlier this year when he took over the national side in February following the resignation of Vern Cotter. It has been a dream start, having led the side to their first win against England at Twickenham already.

Georgia – Levan Maisashvili

A dual coach for both the Black Lion Club side and the Georgian national side, where has been since 2020.

The coach began his career with the Lelo Saracens before taking on an assistant role with the national team between 2018 and 2019.

He got his chance to take over the team a year later and has not looked back, with the team having claimed several impressive wins, including their first in Cardiff against Wales only later year.

Maisashvili endured a health scare in 2021 when COVID-19 had him very ill and on a ventilator for weeks in South Africa, resulting in serious lung damage.

His health has improved, and he is looking to power his growing team at this year’s tournament after shock wins over Italy and Wales in 2022.

Portugal – Patrice Lagisquet

Born in France and a top winger during his playing days, Lagisquet had a 15-year career where he represented CA Begles, Bayonnais and Biarritz. This, in turn, earned him an impressive 46 Test caps for France.

His coaching career began at Biarritz in 1997, where, in the early years after the turn of the century, he led the team to three French titles and the Cup of France by 2006.

Later on, he joined the national side as back and defence coach in 2012, where he stayed until 2015. He took over Portugal in 2019 and brought the team back to the Rugby World Cup for the third time in their history.

Accolades

(Biarritz)
France league champions: 2001/2002, 2004/2005, 2005/2006
Cup of France: 2000

READ MORE: Rugby World Cup Pool B: Meet the head coaches in charge of each nation

Australia Eddie Jones Simon Raiwalui Warren Gatland

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