Northampton Saints have just addressed the Warren Gatland rumours in a statement
Northampton Saints are keen on speaking to Wales head coach Warren Gatland about their director of rugby vacancy, according to club president Keith Barwell.
The Premiership side parted company with Jim Mallinder last week, the 51-year-old's decade-long stint coming to an end following nine defeats in a 10-game spell.
The identity of Mallinder's replacement remains unclear, but Barwell has confirmed Gatland – who is set to leave his Wales role after the 2019 World Cup - is among those being considered.
"When we recruited Jim 10 years ago, Warren Gatland was one of those shortlisted," Barwell told the Daily Mirror.
"We decided not to ring him then. Well I thought we'd give him a second chance.
"I won't be choosing the coach, let me say that, we've got a committee that's doing that.
"But I want people to understand that we're starting from the top not the bottom so, yes, we're interested in Warren."
It is also interesting to note that earlier in the year Welsh chief executive Martyn Phillips stated that should Gatland wish to leave his contract early, he wouldn't stand in his way.
Conceding to BBC Sport that he would not force the 53-year-old to stay against his wishes.
“I don’t think he’d do it [leave],” Phillips told BBC Sport.
“A huge value for him is loyalty, so I don’t think it would happen.
“But having said that, if he did, the people you need on your team have got to want to be there.
“The job is so critical to Wales. I wouldn’t want somebody doing it who doesn’t want to be there.
“So if he wanted to go, he could go.”
Latest Comments
I’m sick to death of waiting 3 years for league players to become half decent. It cripples Australian rugby in the meantime. The Reds actually looked half competent without Vunivalu not starting last week. He’s just a liability of errors. Paisami is looking better than he has in previous years but I’d have Kerevi back in a flash. A kiwi wont tho …...
Go to commentsExcellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
Go to comments