Gatland: Tops list of candidates for role of B&I Lions head coach
Wales international Gethin Jenkins has backed Warren Gatland to lead the British and Irish Lions in Australia next year.
Lions chiefs are set to reveal the head coach's identity next month after the dust has settled on this season's Six Nations Championship.
Wales will win the title and Grand Slam if they beat France on Saturday, which would be the second time for New Zealander Gatland to achieve such a feat following his debut season success in 2008.
The 48-year-old was also a key member of Sir Ian McGeechan's coaching team in South Africa three years ago, when the Lions and Springboks staged an unforgettable Test series that the tourists ultimately lost 2-1.
"I think it would be great if he gets it (Lions job)," Jenkins said.
"He did a great job on the last tour. He is a great coach and he has got the credentials for it.
"It was pretty old school on the last tour. We had some good enjoyment, but it was very serious at the same time."
Comments
jimbosim says...
If the Lions are gouing to win the series, all the Nations need to be performing. England are progressing well, which has to add strengh to the Team. Gatlin is the main candidate for the coaching job by a mile. If Wales win the slam, warburton will be top seed for the captain along with the coach?
Posted 20:23 16th March 2012
RugbyLocos says...
jontheref.......
If Wales manage to get a fully fit squad down to Australia I think that they will win at least 1 of the tests. As for the Lions, I think a series win will be there for the taking. Gatland will have a wealth of talent available to him for 2013.
Posted 09:56 14th March 2012
jontheref says...
Rugby locos
Any win in Aus would be good.
A series win would be fantastic.
If we can go with a fit squad we have a good chance.
Posted 09:28 14th March 2012
RugbyLocos says...
Leinster-Goy.........
Wales beat Australia in 2008 during the autumn internationals following the Grand Slam under Gatland.
During the last 2 years Wales have been beaten narrowly by Australia on the 3 occasions that they have played. Lets see if we can reverse that trend down under this summer - although we will be playing on Ozzie soil.
Posted 17:12 13th March 2012
jontheref says...
Andy Irvine is in high spirits
Lions team manager Andy Irvine says the 6 Nations has given him plenty of hope ahead of the 2013 tour to Australia.
Irvine, who was chairman when the Lions headed to South Africa three years ago, has been impressed with what he¿s seen so far in the northern hemisphere¿s showpiece event.
The former Scotland full back has been particularly pleased with the young talent coming through in each of the Home Nations, as well as the form of some of the more established names in British and Irish rugby.
Posted 16:05 13th March 2012
jontheref says...
melkdave
I think you will find Andy Irvine is the manager.
Posted 16:03 13th March 2012
makemehappy says...
No competition at all! The only option amongst the 6N's teams.
Posted 13:09 13th March 2012
melkdave says...
No real surprise here is there lol After all he has the best 6Ns record of any home union coach is good at manmagment and has got Wales playing a good style of rugby to watch.The interesting thing weill be who does Gatland want as his coaching staff will the 09 staff reunite i wonder but this time with Geech as manager rather than coach
Posted 11:53 13th March 2012
leinster_goy says...
i have some niggling doubts about gatland as lions coach:
1. he's a bit of a loose cannon. he certainly brought a lot to the lions set-up last time out but to have a calm, measured coach like geech obviously served as an important counterbalance. gatland is clearly a great tactician but in terms of instilling the necessary esprit de corps in a squad of 30-odd players in a short space of time, does he have that capacity, or temperament? we'll have to wait and see. i suppose its difficult to have it both ways: geech instilled the team spirit very well in 2009 but made disastrous selection decisions in the 1st test
2. i may be wrong on this, but to my recollection gatland has never beaten the wallabies as wales coach. they always seem to get beaten comprehensively by australia, even in cardiff. perhaps the wallabies know how to play against teams set up by gatland? the three summer tests between australia and wales will be very instructive
Posted 11:21 13th March 2012
kid_diablo says...
oh well if gethin jenkins says so
Posted 10:30 13th March 2012
RugbyLocos says...
On current performances, sure there will be quite a number of welsh players in the squad, just as there will be quite a number of Irish, although possibly the reverse percentages as compared with the last tour.
At the end of the day, the Lions are going out to try to win the series in Australia, and so the starting 15 must be chosen on merit and not on a political basis. It will be interesting to see how Wales get on in Australia in their summer tour, to guage which of the welsh players can out-match their opposite numbers.
Posted 09:15 13th March 2012
Paddy91317 says...
He deserves it and this is coming from an irishman my only worry would be gats selecting all 15 welsh players to start for the loins but he isnt afraid to make daring calls unlike kidney you would be garanteed o'leary and o'callahan to start for the lions and play a limited game plan to suck the confidence out of the loins saying that if kidney was picked for the loins he wouldnt be coaching ireland next 6n so on second thoughts pick kidney
Posted 08:05 13th March 2012