GATLAND’S ON SAINTS BOSS LIST
WARREN GATLAND will be shortlisted for a second time to take charge of Northampton Saints.
A decade after the struggling East Midlands outfit preferred Jim Mallinder to Gatland, the Wales and Lions coach is back in contention to succeed ‘Gentleman Jim’.
Saints president Keith Barwell told Mirror Sport: “When we recruited Jim, Warren Gatland was one of those shortlisted. We decided not to ring him then. Well, I thought we’d give him a second chance.
“I won’t be choosing the coach, we’ve got a committee doing that.
“But I want people to understand we’re starting from the top not the bottom so, yes, we’re interested in Warren.”
A Welsh Rugby Union spokesman dismissed as “pure Saints speculation” Northampton’s interest in Gatland, who has two years remaining on his contract. But Barwell, who bankrolled Northampton’s rise from small-town club to European and Premiership champions, did not get to where he is today by missing his targets.
Defeat at Ospreys on Sunday was Saints’ 10th in 11 matches and Barwell, who confirmed long-time All Blacks coach Wayne Smith had ruled himself out of a return to Franklin’s Gardens, fears English clubs are now playing too much rugby.
“We’re not doing well in Europe,” he said referring to 12 Champions Cup defeats in 14 games for Premiership clubs over the past two weekends.
“It’s very physical and fast and we’re playing too much rugby.”
Leicester captain Tom Youngs (above) added: “The mental strain on England players is getting bigger and bigger. To come straight back from international rugby and play for clubs is tough. The drive is not quite there.”
Youngs, whose side lost home and away to Munster, believes the Irish players benefited from a week off between international and Europe.
“You freshen up a little bit and become a little bit more hungry after a week off,” he said. “Your body gets a bit of a rest but, more than that, your mind gets a rest.”