Simply the best? not out... and it

people who have spent a lot of time coaching in the country.

“So I’m sure part of that process would be going back to New Zealand and getting himself embedded and entrenched back into the All Blacks way.”

Hailing Gatland’s 100-Test milestone with Wales, Dallaglio continued: “It’s an amazing achievement and should be rightly celebrated.

“He’s an amazing coach, you’ve only got to look at his achievements with Wales, and in many ways he’s been a victim of his own success, because he over-achieved in his first two years, with back-to-back Grand Slams.

“So he has achieved enormous amounts, and that then set the expectation levels incredibly high and it’s always difficult to replicate that.

“You’ve only got to talk to the players under him, him and his coaches are adored by the players that play under them.

“So it’s huge credit to him. He’s very bold and brave. He makes big calls, he doesn’t always get them right - but more often than not he does, and then people have to eat a large slice of humble pie, including players.

“He’s a great motivator, he lives by the adage that none of us are as good as all of us. He wants superstars but treats everyone the same.

“He’s not afraid to put his neck on the line as a coach, but he makes it fun too - and also he’s very shrewd.

“He understands that great teams are coach-led but player-driven; a good coach can lead a team and a vision, but that has to be driven by a core group.”

Lawrence Dallaglio is a Land Rover ambassador. Land Rover is celebrating its testimonial season this year; 10 years of supporting grass roots rugby in the UK through the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup. Follow @ LandRoverRugby £WeDealInReal WARREN Gatland will take a fresh guard after completing his century of games for Wales when they face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

The match will be the New Zealander’s 100th match in charge since he assumed control of the Welsh side a decade ago.

He has won 50 games, lost 47 and drawn two.

He is closing in on Graham Henry’s all-time record of 103 games in charge of one nation.

There have been extraordinary highs during Gatland’s stint with Wales, including a World Cup semifinal and Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012.

He broke England’s hold over Wales at Twickenham and has regularly beaten Ireland in Dublin. South Africa have also been seen off frequently, but they are nowhere near the force they were.

Wales are still striving to bank their first win over New Zealand since 1953, have struggled against Australia and there have been occasional criticisms of the style they have employed for much of the time. But people have short memories. Given where the national side were in 2007 — there were times over the previous 20 years when the Dog & Duck might have fancied their chances against some Welsh teams — Gatland’s achievement of making Wales competitive and respected again is far from insignificant. It hasn’t just been an exercise in endurance.

Shane Williams even gave a nod to the idea this week that he’d been the best coach in the professional era — “I think so but I am biased”. Others might take a different view and frequently do, excoriating the head coach on social media. It goes with the territory. Whatever, when he goes home next year, Gatland will be missed.

MARK ORDERS puts together a list of his best and worst and most memorable over the past decade...