Gats should call Howley again, says Lions legend
JEREMY Guscott has called on Warren Gatland to make Rob Howley his Lions backs coach for the Test series with world champions South Africa.
Lions and England superstar Guscott believes the betting scandal which saw Howley sent home from last year’s World Cup in Japan in disgrace shouldn’t count against him.
The nine-month suspension copped by the former Wales attack coach after he admitting breaching rugby’s union strict regulations on gambling ended last month.
Howley had been linked with a return to the sport with Gallagher Premiership club Gloucester, but missed out with the top job at Kingsholm going to rookie coach George Skivington.
He remains keen to come back and TV pundit Guscott believes that opportunity should arise with the Lions.
Howley has been Lions boss Gatland’s loyal and key lieutenant since the pair first worked together at Wasps.
They achieved incredible success with Wales, plotted the 2013 Lions conquest of Australia and the drawn campaign with New Zealand three years ago.
Guscott, whose drop-goal clinched a famous triumph over the Springboks in 1997, is adamant Howley’s credentials are too powerful to ignore.
“Gatland needs coaches who understand immediately what it takes to prepare and select a Lions side capable of winning the series, despite having next to no time to work in,” Guscott wrote in his column in the Rugby Paper.
“It’s hugely important he gets the coaching group he wants around him, because they will be crucial to the Lions’ chances of success against the Springboks.
“Ideally, that means coaches who have already been there and done it alongside Gatland, like Rob Howley, will be involved again. Howley was an integral part of the Lions’ victory over the Wallabies in 2013 and the drawn series against the All Blacks in 2017 – and also tasted the narrowest of defeats against South Africa in 2009.”