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Warren Gatland set to land Super Rugby role next year
By Online Editors
By New Zealand Herald
Warren Gatland will return to New Zealand to coach the Chiefs after the World Cup.
The 55-year-old is calling time on over a decade as Wales head coach after this year's World Cup in Japan and has already been confirmed as the next British and Irish Lions coach to tour South Africa in 2021.
He will be released next August to coach the British and Irish Lions and return for the 2022 and 2023 Super Rugby campaigns.
Gatland has been the head coach of Wales since 2007, leading them to three Six Nations grand slam titles, and coached the Lions on tour's of Australia and New Zealand.
He also coached the British and Irish Lions to a series win in Australia in 2013 against Robbie Deans' Wallabies and to a drawn series with Steve Hansen's All Blacks in New Zealand in 2017.
Gatland has previously expressed an interest in returning to coach in New Zealand again after the World Cup "if there was an opportunity".
He travelled back to New Zealand last month to support son Bryn after the Highlander was ruled out of rugby for six months after a horror foot injury.
Former All Black Justin Marshall said he thought it was a great move by New Zealand Rugby.
"I've always said that for New Zealand Rugby to be innovators and stay at the top of all competitions, including international rugby, we need to have the best resources available to educate our players and make them the best they can be, and when you have someone as successful as Warren Gatland, a Kiwi, who has plenty to offer - get him back."
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Latest Comments
I think it was a better rugby destination for him.
He was developed in Melbourne and had a relatively brief stint there. I think he was possibly dropped out of the squad for the return of someone like To'omua (also a Melbourne local) in 2019 ahead of the RWC. But then he wasn't picked up by another Australian team and went to play in Japan when he only really seemed to play a hat full of top level games (maybe injured for long periods??) before he went on to Scotland. But it was only in Scotland that he started to get a lot of consistent game time and selection.
The thing is, no one talked about him being a missed opportunity in Australia before he left - a little like Mac Hansen. But he has been able to forge a top level career since leaving. Both men only had a handful (5 or 6?) games at Super Rugby level before they made a decision to leave (or had it made for them I suppose). Other countries have gone on to develop them and that is great for them and it is probably good for the global game as it means the best players are rising to the top - if not in their birth country than in another. I think there are a lot of issues with poor player development in Australia but I don't know if these two blokes are very good examples of it.
Go to commentsOk I understand. Give them my number please Nick.
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