‘I am still excited about Wales’

WARREN Gatland has rubbished suggestions he has lost interest in coaching Wales and is only staying on for the money.

Gatland picks up the reins again with Wales this month after a year’s sabbatical on Lions duty, ahead of a testing autumn programme featuring Tests against Australia, Georgia, New Zealand and South Africa on consecutive weekends.

But after revealing he receives a loyalty bonus if he remains in place until the 2019 World Cup Gatland – who took over as Wales coach 10 years ago – insists passing Go on the Monopoly board is not the reason he remains in post.

“I’m committed to Wales and I need to reiterate that. Six months ago there was speculation I would do the Lions and wouldn’t be coming back. I don’t know where it came from because I’m excited about the group of players that have come through,” said Gatland.

“There is always speculation when someone asks if you’ve been in the job too long. In terms of the loyalty bonus, the previous chief executive Roger Lewis was very smart in terms of the way he had contracted me. He said if you finish after 2019 it’s there, but it’s not the motivation for me being here.

“Whether I should have mentioned it, I am not sure, but I’ve always tried to be honest.”

Gatland will discover the schedule for Wales’ group games at the tournament tomorrow, and is upbeat. “I need to stress we can win the World Cup,” he said.

“Apart from New Zealand, World Cups are traditionally won by teams with an age profile of late 20s to early 30s and that’s exactly what we will be.”