Gatland hints at leading the Lions to SA in 2021

AUCKLAND: Warren Gatland will consider coaching the British and Irish Lions for a third time in 2021, but would want more time to prepare his players in South Africa than he had for the drawn series in New Zealand.

The 53-year-old now has a Lions coaching record rivalled only by the great Ian McGeechan, after leading the tourists to a triumph in Australia four years ago and the stalemate with the All Blacks in an epic series over the last three weeks.

The Lions lost the first test 30-15, won the second 24-21 and drew the third 15-15 to share the series.

After speaking at length of his pride at what the squad had achieved in rugby’s “ultimate challenge”, and how he thought they had earned respect in his homeland, the New Zealander was asked about his own future.

He reaffirmed that the 2019 World Cup would bring an end to his time in charge of Wales, before being asked whether he might want to complete “the set” of Lions tours in 2021.

“There’s a possibility that there’s an opportunity there again, and it’s something that you might consider,” Gatland said.

“Those discussions need to happen now, about just having some reasonable preparation time,” he added..

“I’m not being stupid, as a coach, I wouldn’t be asking for a month. Just a week in the UK or Ireland beforehand and a week in South Africa before the first game is reasonable.

“And maybe not have a midweek game in the first week before the test so we can prepare properly. Hopefully the powers in the game will act to preserve something that is special.”

One thing Gatland would be unable to bring to bear in South Africa would be the knowledge of the local psyche he thought had been vital to the squad’s success against the world champions.

“If anybody else was doing it then we probably might not have drawn the series,” he said.

“You’ve got to reflect on that and say that’s a pretty good achievement in terms of playing the best team in the world in their own backyard and drawing the series.” – Reuters