Gatland linked to Super Rugby job
NEWS: Warren Gatland will coach in New Zealand sooner than expected.
Radio Sport reported that Gatland has signed a four-year deal with Waikato and will take over the Chiefs.
The 55-year-old, who is calling time on his job as Wales 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, will coach the Chiefs in 2020.
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 tours 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”.
#BREAKING The @radiosportnz Breakfast can confirm Warren Gatland will coach @ChiefsRugby in 2020, 2022 and 2023, with a year off to coach the British and Irish Lions in 2021.
— Radio Sport (@radiosportnz) June 27, 2019
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.”
It was announced this week that Colin Cooper was stepping down from the Chiefs job this year, with his next priority to spend time with his family.
Cooper, who has coached the Chiefs for the past two seasons, opted not to see out the last of a three-year term and sought an early release from the club.
Source: Radio Sport
* Also read: Cooper shocks NZ as he quits Chiefs
