Lion king: Warren Gatland
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Warren Gatland has been confirmed as the Head Coach of the British and Irish Lions for their 2013 tour of Australia.
The worst kept secret in rugby was finally confirmed in London on Tuesday after the initial announcement was delayed due to Gatland breaking both of his heels in a fall whilst on holiday in New Zealand back in April.
Gatland, who as an assistant to Ian McGeechan on the 2009 tour of South Africa, has long been the leading candidate for the top job after leading Wales to the semi-finals of the World Cup and the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2011.
The 48-year-old will become the second New Zealander to lead the Lions on tour to Australia, after Graham Henry's side lost the 2001 series 2-1 to the Wallabies.
Gatland is expected to confirm his full coaching team in October. England forwards coach Graham Rowntree and are Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards, who were also part of the 2009 Lions management, are likely to be involved.
Gatland will coach Wales in their November Tests against New Zealand and Australia, but otherwise he will be seconded full-time to the Lions.
Interim Wales coach Rob Howley will be in charge for the Argentina and Samoa Tests in November and will take over at the helm full time for the 2013 Six Nations.
When Gatland leads the Lions to Australia, it will be 16 years since their last Test series victory - over world champions South Africa in 1997.
Next year's tour features 10 matches starting against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1 before three Tests against the Wallabies, in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Comments
porridge_time says...
passtheball says...
I suspect Warren will have more success as the knight is over rated as a coach though he has much better political skills.
What an utterly ignorant comment... Graham Henry whether you like him or not is not over rated, because his record speaks for itself.
The guy has a 83% success rate from his career overall that started at school boy rugby. You need to learn how to give credit where credit is due.
Posted 05:57 17th September 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
'old on! What about me!?! I'm still waiting for the job application to come out in the national press!!!!
seriously though, I don't think there's ever been a lions tour thats been such massive favourites as they are at the moment. One to Eight the lions test team is going to give the wallabies nightmares. the potential forward pack is so strong that you almost expect a united national peace keeping force to be in the stands keeping an eye out for massacres. You expect Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, James Coburne and Charles Bronson to come riding to the wallabies aid to try to redress the balance to something resembling equality.
the only plus Australia have is that the 2001 lions team were marginal favourites too. but the gap has widened expotenially. I mean where are the Joe Roff's and John Eales's of the 2013 wallabies team???
Posted 16:23 07th September 2012
APV1 says...
@ Propmelsey - the point is that to be British or Irish, one doesn't need to be of pure heritage. So your nonsense about, "...genuine squad of BRITISH & IRISH players and coaches and lost a series 3 nil than tour with a load of foreign coaches and players..." is unnecessary. I'm British, but one could argue that I'm actually Dutch.
By your reckoning, I wouldn't be able to represent my country (England), due to my parents' birthplaces and heritage, rather than my lack of skill.
And we certainly couldn't have any Springboks in the team - if you've been a Bok, you can't play for England. But people born in different countries..? I leave the eligibility to the IRB and just enjoy the players we've got, regardless of their heritage. Perhaps you could too?
Posted 11:34 06th September 2012
Propmelsey says...
@AVP1 .... I don't see what living in a multi cultural society or you being a 'dubiuos mongrel' has got to do with the BRITISH & IRISH lions ..... I just don't happen to believe that the job of coach should go to someone not from Britain or Ireland!! ...... To be honest, i'm none too keen on players playing for England just because they've lived in England for a few years ... it just doesn't seem right to me .... i think you should atleast have parents that were born in the country that you are going to represent ..... worst case senario .. we're going to have a lions team coached by a kiwi with springboks and south pacific islanders in the team ..... just feels wrong to me ...... but i do understand that you will be seeing things from a different perspective to me :) x
Posted 15:27 05th September 2012
Melkiwi says...
Alot of anti B & I tour comments on here, guess yip they actually won a series it would be a different story, guess the UK fans are embarrassed that even with their best players in the one team they still can't win anything.
Posted 13:25 05th September 2012
Ferdie says...
i like lions tours; my job way back then had me doing a partial tour with 93 B&I Lions in nz - that was tough! then in 2005 took time off work and saw 5 matches; have to say their fans must be the best, caught up with the same ones match after match and a good time had by all. hoping to do a 18-20 day tour to oz next year and catch two tests.
Posted 12:24 05th September 2012
APV1 says...
@ powerplay - nice one!
@ Propmelsey - if you don't like living in a multi-cultural society - move. Personally I'm proud of living in an inclusive country. I've served my country in The Army and am proud to have done so. I support England and the B&I Lions. And yet I don't have an ounce on English blood in me. I'm an absolute mongrel of very dubious heritage - mostly Dutch, but Scottish, Irish, Spanish and God-knows what else.
But I'm an immensly proud Englishman too.
@ all those Lions-Detractors - have you noticed what this thread has already done? Regardless of our allegiances and our heated debates elsewhere, we are united. And that's one of the beauties of the Lions. And then ask any pro player who has pulled on that red jersey and ask him if he thinks it's all just a nonsense. I read quite a lot of autobiogs, many from rugby players. All of those who have represented the Lions have said that it's up there with their first Cap, or their 100th Cap, or other huge milestones. They don't have to say that, so I take it that they think the Lions is special.
And so do I.
Posted 11:05 05th September 2012
GCP_jones says...
@leinster_goy....
My God Man its the first time I'm in agreemnet with you,its just a pity that its on such an issue is'nt it?.
@ Jamietheprop....
Well said for the most part, altough not sure where your going with the Irish comment?. But I disagree with you,intertnational rugby has become jaded predicatable not to mention substandard to what you now see in club competitons around the world.
You may hanker for the past but when the decision was made back in the nineties to go professional something had to give and I think the Lions, Baa Baa's should be scrapped and the likes of the pointless end of seasons tours should also be looked at IMO.
It may be professional (to a degree) but rugby will never become soccer, especially when we still have the old boy's club running it in such a slap dash way.
Enjoy New Zealand in 2017 its a great place but I think its safe to assume it will be 3/nil to the blacks
Posted 11:00 05th September 2012
connaughtabu says...
Was in NZ for the Lions tour - wonderful atmosphere amongst the fans! Great fun till BoD was dumped on his head (let's not go there!).
I fancy the Lions, Welsh/English bruisers in the front row, Welsh/Scots/English 2nd row, Irish/Welsh backrow, Welsh/Irish halfbacks, Welsh/English centres, Welsh/English wings and an Irishman at 15! Bring it on :-))
Posted 10:42 05th September 2012
Propmelsey says...
Personally. i'd rather the Lions toured with a genuine squad of BRITISH & IRISH players and coaches and lost a series 3 nil than tour with a load of foreign coaches and players ..... Just because it's allowed, doesn't make it right. Thinking about it ... i bet there are more British & Irish descendants in the Aussie Squad than in the Squad the kiwi Gatland will pick!!! ... Through gritted teeth ..... GO AUSSIE!!! GO AUSSIE!!! :)) x
Posted 08:19 05th September 2012
KiwiLad says...
Trinats, Its a win win for you, no matter what happens it will be the Kiwi Coaches fault..
Posted 08:07 05th September 2012
ABlack says...
Cant believe the overconfidence in the UK based voters on picking the Lions on the PR poll on who will win the Aus vs Lions series.
Aus will be hard to beat in their backyard. Their backs will be better than the Lions as they are used to playing a higher level of rugby against NZ and the Boks every year, so the perceived ability ( and from what i understand perceived advantage??)of the likes of Roberts, Tuilagi in the centres wont happen at all for the Lions. The only advantage Lions may have is in the front row and that is only at scrum time. The Aus props stack up okay compared to NZ and boks props in work rate,general play and tackles etc so if anything the Aussie front row will better the Lions front row for work rate, tackles and general play.
Aussie 2-1 series win or possibly 3-0 as Gatland will base most of the test team on Wales(whose players he knows) Aussie has a big psychological advantage over the welsh players in the past few seasons.
Aussie will run the lions of their feet in all 3 tests.
Posted 07:18 05th September 2012
Trinats2 says...
Bummer, thought Robbie Deans would have got the position.
Posted 01:59 05th September 2012
powerplay says...
lol@APV...i hope his injuries have 'heeled'
Posted 22:59 04th September 2012
JamieTheProp says...
@ GCP_JONES - the things you mention are the things that make it exciting and interesting!
If we scrap the Lions and the Barbarians we might as well admit we have become another football and give up!
And the Lions tour the 3 southern hemisphere giants because that is where the biggest tests are and have always been!
Roll on 2013 and then 2017! There are a lot of players that I normally have to dislike that I'll be able to support wholeheartedly as they battle through the odds to become absolute legends in our game!
Keith Woods and BOD sprig to mind - normally I'll support any team in the world against the Irish but when they pulled on a Lions shirt I could get behind some of the best players in their position in the world which is all part of the Lions mix!
Anyone who says they don't understand the Lions doesn't understand the traditions of our great game - and it is the traditions that give it its very foundations!
Who cares if they come back to their clubs late? Club rugby isn't the pinnacle of a rugby players career - international rugby is - and above that sits the Lions!
The day a player chooses club above country or the Lions we should all go home!
Posted 22:57 04th September 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Just because the All Blacks consistently beat Australia doesn't mean any other team should or will.. I agree however, this does seem the best chance the Lions will have to win a series in a long time but don't count your chickens just yet, a year is a long time in rugby. They have started well by appointing Gatland, the best coach working in the north and available and willing, let's hope he doesn't get hijacked like Henry did. One of the great old rugby traditions, looking forward to it already.
Posted 21:16 04th September 2012
atg77 says...
For me there can be no higher honour than playing for your country. The lions represents no country, it is a scratch touring side born from sympathies to a long gone imperial age.
Posted 20:50 04th September 2012
Carpelone says...
Who CARES?
Posted 20:28 04th September 2012
leinster_goy says...
@GCP_JONES
"a pointles relic from the past"...a bit like the nation-state?
Posted 16:51 04th September 2012
heart_of_oak says...
Those people moaning about Gatland being a kiwi, please join the 21st century in which people ply their trade the world over. What a tired old line you people are dragging out. I think Gatland's been a great coach, has done wonders with Wales and I hope he does well with the Lions.
I'm looking forward to seeing what a Lawes / Richie Gray 2nd row could do and how Manu and Jamie Roberts would impact on opposition back lines. Of course, this is assuming these combinations get picked. I know there are other good centres around.
Magic_dragon has hit the nail on the head : this time, we've got a damn good chance of winning. I can't understand those people who would rather not see great players from different countries playing together. Would you really prefer Lions tours to just cease altogether ?
Posted 15:48 04th September 2012