HARD HITTING VIEW

THE British & Irish Lions announced one of the worst kept secrets in rugby this week – the name of the coach who will attempt to win the first series in New Zealand since 1971.

Warren Gatland will return to the land of his birth to lead the Lions on their tour, having coached them to victory four years ago in Australia.

Gatland’s name had been in the frame for the job for the last two years or so and, given his experiences with the Lions, not only in Australia but also South Africa as assistant coach to Sir Ian McGeechan, it is no surprise that he has been given the job.

The other obvious contenders were the remaining coaches of the Home Unions – Joe Schmidt in Ireland, Eddie Jones of England and Scotland’s Vern Cotter.

Jones ruled himself out and Ireland’s loss of form may have contributed to Schmidt’s failure to secure the role, while Cotter, out of contract at the end of the season, may just not have had enough to offer.

So it will be interesting to see who Gatland chooses to join his coaching team.

The Kiwi has a reputation for sticking to the people and style that he is most familiar with and this could be limiting for him.

Gatland’s lack of innovation may cost the Lions dear

If he chooses to go with the people he knows best, such as Shaun Edwards who was alongside him at Wales and Wasps, he may not bring enough innovation to his players and his rugby – something that will be key if the Lions are to succeed in New Zealand.

Similarly, while he has said that he will not stick to his favoured Welsh players who made up so much of the Test team in Australia, the proof of this will be in his final selection come the first Test match.

Yet Gatland is not shy of controversy – either in his commentary to the media or in making tough decisions on selection, as was evidenced in leaving Brian O’Driscoll out of the squad for the deciding Test in Sydney nearly four years ago.

Such strength of mind is admirable, but sometimes contradictory to some of Gatland’s other decisions, and if there is any wavering on tour in New Zealand that will be cruelly exposed.

It will also be interesting to see how New Zealand deals with Gatland.

The Kiwi press can be very harsh when dealing with its national sport and if any cracks in the Lions appear, they will be quick to exploit them – as Sir Clive Woodward discovered in 2005.

Gatland will want to avoid a similar debacle and I’m sure his previous two Lions tours will serve him well in that regard.