GATLAND FURY AT O’BRIEN
Coach hits back and says he won’t lead Lions again
WARREN Gatland has hit back at Sean O’Brien after the flanker’s criticism of the Lions tour. O’Brien slammed Gatland’s regime last month, saying the Lions would have beaten the All Blacks 3-0 if they had not been overworked and badly coached.
‘I don’t know what planet he’s on,’ said Gatland, who also confirmed that he will not look to take charge of the Lions’ next challenge, in South Africa in 2021. ‘But I was on a different tour to him if he thought we should have won comfortably. I thought Sean’s comments were disrespectful to New Zealand. I have to be honest, it took a bit of the gloss off the Lions tour.’
O’Brien also took aim at attack coach Rob Howley, saying that Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton ran the tourists’ offence. But Gatland said he always wanted training to be player-led. ‘I see that as a compliment,’ he added. ‘That’s what good coaching is about, giving players responsibility. Did we learn as coaches? Would we have done some things differently? Of course. That’s part of coaching.
‘Sean O’Brien had a fantastic tour. He played exceptionally well. It’s only fair to acknowledge that. But if he was going to make some comments, then he could have done so in a different way.
‘No one has ever, in the history of the game, taken on a tour of that magnitude or difficulty. You watch how hard the coaches and the backroom staff worked — they worked their absolute b******s off on that tour — and then to have someone come out and make a comment like that… it really, really hurt.’
Gatland has given O’Brien the chance to explain himself, but the Irishman has not called him. And the Wales boss has now stated he will not lead the Lions again.
‘I wouldn’t subject myself to that,’ he said. ‘I hated the tour. I just hated the Press and the negativity in New Zealand. Let someone else do it. Let someone else reinvent the wheel.’
Meanwhile, Rhys Webb’s international future is in doubt after the Welsh Rugby Union changed their policy for foreign-based stars. Those with fewer than 60 caps will not be eligible for selection if they play outside Wales.
Webb, with 28 caps, has signed a contract with Toulon for next season and is unhappy with the union’s decision. ‘I didn’t know the full implications when I agreed to join Toulon because the change in policy came out after I signed,’ Webb told WalesOnline.
‘I have given 10 years’ service to the Ospreys and Welsh rugby and have picked up injuries. I would’ve hoped that would’ve been taken into consideration.’
The WRU maintain Webb’s representatives knew of the impending change to policy before his Toulon deal was signed.
GEORGE NORTH’S knee injury is not as serious as first thought. There were fears the Wales star would miss the autumn Tests after collapsing in Northampton’s 57-13 loss to Saracens, but the early signs are positive.