Gatland plays it safe with his support cast
British and Irish Lions coaching team lacks free thinkers for arduous tour, reports Liam Napier.
Better the devil you know than the unforeseen ambush. When the British and Irish Lions arrive on New Zealand shores for their torrid 10-match tour next year, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen should know exactly what to expect.
No Joe Schmidt, no Gregor Townsend or Eddie Jones means Warren Gatland’s management team and the Lions’ game plan may have a sameness about it.
Four years on from the Lions’ 2-1 series victory in Australia, Steve Borthwick is the only new face; the English forwards coach charged with cracking the All Blacks lineout code, taking over from Graham Rowntree. One staunch Englishman for another.
Andy Farrell, Rob Howley and kicking specialist Neil Jenkins all return, providing Gatland continuity – and possible staleness.
Gatland did not dare to be different with his management team. There was no reward for the only two successful club coaches in Europe. Mark McCall, who made Saracens European champions for the first time this year, wasn’t required. Likewise no desire to reach out to Pat Lam, the former Blues mentor who transformed Connacht and guided them to the Pro 12 title.
More tellingly, Gatland could not convince Irish coach Schmidt, the only man in the past 22 tests to devise a plan to undo the All Blacks, to get on board.
Jones made it clear from the outset of assuming the English post that would be his priority. But Gatland’s reportedly underwhelming offer for Townsend to effectively be assistant assistant coach (Howley’s deputy) leaves the Lions without Scottish representation.
‘‘I had a conversation with Gregor, he had a release in his contract,’’ Gatland said this week. ‘‘I personally thought it would have been brilliant for his development for him to go on a Lions tour. Unfortunately, I think it is going to be his loss, and ultimately Scotland’s loss as well.’’
With various political pressures and egos at play, moulding players from four nations presents a difficult enough mission as it is without fracturing the relationship with the Scots.
Townsend is highly rated. After leading Glasgow he is set to take on the national job from Vern Cotter next year and has shunned the Lions to concentrate on that task.
Gatland has been made to look like a Springboks or Wallabies coach outside an official test window when those nations are denied access to top players with rich clubs holding all the power.
Undoubtedly, he has not assembled the best possible management team. And on a brutal tour such as this, he needs everything to go his way.
Gatland has been left with three fulltime assistants he trusts. Three men who are unlikely to significantly challenge has way of thinking on his third Lions assignment.
So, there will be no surprises in Hansen’s Christmas stockings. Plain coloured socks and underwear it is – and maybe a DVD of the Lions’ last tour for swatting purposes.
The All Blacks encountered Gatland and his Welsh assistant Howley three times in June. They know Farrell is a motivator who loves rush defence and line speed.
With much the same management team assembled, Gatland has flagged the Lions will again favour physicality.
There will be no major reinvention of the wheel.
If he didn’t already, Hansen now knows the Lions will target the set piece, attempt to scrum for penalties and maul from lineouts.
He knows his back three must be adept under the high ball, and tactically aware. He knows the breakdown will be fiercely contested; the collisions colossal. But he’ll also know at their best the All Blacks fast-paced wide game has much more to it than the visitors.
Look no further than the hotheaded Dylan Hartley to appreciate other challenges Gatland faces. Touted as a possible Lions leader, the England captain was sent off after only six minutes on the field as a replacement for a malicious swinging arm that connected flush to the head of Irish flanker Sean O’Brien yesterday. This from a bloke who missed the last Lions tour and two World Cups – 54 weeks in total – for frequent thuggish behaviour.
Gatland’s brief is not getting any easier.