SAM WARBURTON
Lions job should be next for Warren Gatland, not Red Rose
SAM Warburton believes Warren Gatland has played a blinder by downing England, but insists the Wales coach should opt for a British & Irish Lions hattrick rather than joining the Red Rose.
Gatland has been strongly linked with succeeding Eddie Jones as England boss when he leaves his role with Wales after 12 years following the World Cup in Japan.
Former Wales and Lions captain Warburton – one of Gatland’s most trusted lieutenants – said: “Warren has joked England couldn’t afford him!
“I don’t think he would coach England. It’s not that he wouldn’t want to and he wouldn’t enjoy the challenge, but I just couldn’t see it happening. He is an honorary Welshman now.
“If it did happen it would really surprise me and I think the Lions would be desperate to get him back on board. They have a new managing director now (Ben Calveley) and he will probably know more than anybody you have got to keep the spine of your coaching team the same.
“They will have some continuity in the playing group, but you must have continuity from a management point of view and who better to provide that than Warren?
“Whether he will do it or not is to be seen, but I think the Lions would be desperate to have him.”
Sir Ian McGeechan is the only man to have coached the Lions on three straight tours and Gatland would follow in his footsteps if he travels to South Africa in 2021. The New Zealander is unbeaten in Test series as Lions coach with a 2-1 win over Australia in 2013 and a 1-1 draw with back-to-back world champions the All Blacks four years later on his CV. Warburton – whose last game of rugby before his injury-enforced retirement came in the third Test against New Zealand in 2017 – added: “I met somebody from the Lions after the 2017 tour and I said there were two games we could have dropped. I know people want ten games for sponsorship reasons but as players we felt eight was enough. That was the feedback I gave the Lions. We didn’t need that first game against the Provincial Barbarians and you don’t need that midweek game before the first Test.
“You need one between the first and second Tests because if somebody got injured in the first Test and you didn’t have that midweek game, you could potentially have two weeks without game time.
“South Africa will be a lot easier logistically than New Zealand. It will be difficult, but it should be an easier tour to co-ordinate.”
Gatland’s immediate priority is ending on a high with Wales who are the only unbeaten side left in this year’s Six Nations. They face Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday before a finale at home to Ireland.
Wales haven’t won a Grand Slam since 2012 when Warburton was captain. “Wales are looking serious business. I think they are in a great place,” Warburton added. “The way they met fire with fire against England was very impressive.
“Warren dropping into the Press that England are bottlers was probably him having a bit of a giggle hoping English fans will bite on it, but Gats is a bit cleverer than the average fan will think. He has planted it in there because if it works out Wales play England at the World Cup – which they could – then it would be brought back up and the pressure would go on to the England players.
“People always expect so much of England. It was a clever statement and maybe there is some truth in it. If you look over the past six years, the three biggest games we’ve played against England – 2013, 2015 and this year – Wales have come out on top.”
Wales will face Scotland amid growing off-the-field uncertainty. The Welsh Rugby Union and their four regions are locked in talks over Project Reset but Warburton believes it won’t impact the Grand Slam bid.
“It doesn’t seem to be taking its toll. Players will naturally be upset though I think they’ll be professional enough to not let it impact their performances.”