WHO’S IN LINE TO REPLACE GATLAND?

THE Welsh Rugby Union has already drawn up a shortlist of three candidates to succeed Warren Gatland as Wales coach.

And the winning applicant is expected to be announced next summer – more than a year before the New Zealander steps down following the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

“We have been very busy boys over the last six months talking to various people,” said WRU chairman Gareth Davies.

“We are are making progress on that.

“We have caught up with various people when we’ve had the chance to do so.”

And he added: “Warren hasn’t been involved in the interview process so far, but we will want to use him in the business of who gets the job.”

Union chief executive Martyn Phillips told representatives of the country’s club and regions at the organisation’s annual general meeting at the Vale of Glamorgan Resort interviews had already taken place with the list of eight candidates having been whittled down to three.

“Some were Welsh and some were non-Welsh. We have done a complete surge globally,” he explained, before stressing: “It will be about the best person for the job getting it.”

Gatland took over as Wales coach ahead of the 2008 Six Nations and has overseen a regime which has delivered three European titles, two with Grand Slams, a World Cup semi-final in 2011 and quarter-final two years ago.

But, said Phillips: “The inconvenient truth is we have not won much since 2013.”

Wales thrashed England by a record 30-3 in Cardiff that year to snatch the Six Nations title from their neighbours.

Rob Howley was in temporary charge then and last season with Gatland away on Lions duty. Wales finished a lowly fifth in the showpiece tournament this year – the lowest since the pair were appointed following the 2007 World Cup debacle.

“It was just an OK year. We didn’t perform to the level we wanted last year and that has to change,” warned Phillips.

“We have got five tournaments and we are very clear what the plan is and what we want to get out of them.

“To use Warren Gatland’s phrase: ‘Nobody is going to want to play us’.

“We need to go to (Japan) believing we can win. His stance with the Lions was they should go to New Zealand believing they could win.

“Why on earth shouldn’t we think we can’t win it (World Cup)? And we have got a no-compromise plan for that.”

Howley is likely to be considered to replace Gatland on a permanent basis, with former captain and exCardiff Blues coach Dai Young, whose contract with English club Wasps is up around the same time as the Wales job becomes available, another potential Welsh candidate.

New Zealander Dave Rennie, who led the Chiefs to two Super Rugby titles before taking over as Glasgow Warriors coach this season, is also known to be a person of interest.

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