Give Gats and Eddie the Lions’ share
WARREN GATLAND and Eddie Jones could form an explosive coaching dream team on next year’s Lions tour, according to ex- All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick.
He believes the southern- hemisphere duo and rivals in Saturday’s showdown have what it takes to lead the Lions on the daunting trip to New Zealand.
Gatland coached the Lions to a series victory in Australia in 2013 and is favourite to be handed the role again but Fitzpatrick feels Jones could make the perfect No 2.
“Gats would have learnt so much from taking the Lions before and if he is named the head coach, again he needs to get the best people around him,” said Fitzpatrick.
“Eddie can be included in the coaching staff. They can hopefully work together. Whether it is Eddie or Joe Schmidt, I just feel the Lions need to get the best coaches in the northern hemisphere.
“What we saw at the World Cup was a level above what we’re seeing in the Six Nations, but it’s getting better by the week as they spend more time together.
“The northernhemisphere players have realised they need to up their ante if they want to compete with the southern hemisphere. Eddie has spoken about it and I think it’s right. They’ve got to work hard and they’ve got to make sacrifi ces.”
The spiky Jones is not a natural assistant but he has shown in the past – notably as a technical consultant to Jake White’s 2007 World Cup- winning Springboks team – he can play a back- up role. An assistant coach’s position would also mean the RFU would not have to release Jones from next season’s Six Nations as the Lions require of their head coach.
Fitzpatrick, an ambassador for Lions tour sponsors Mud House wines, led New Zealand to a 2- 1 victory in the 1993 series.
SCOTLAND centre Matt Scott will miss the remainder of the Six Nations with elbow ligament damage.