Howley on why Wales return was blocked
ROB Howley admits he was “hugely disappointed” that a potential return to Welsh rugby as Warren Gatland’s assistant coach was blocked by senior Welsh Rugby Union figures.
After returning for a second stint as Wales head coach, one of Gatland’s first moves was to try and re-hire his former attack coach who was an vital part of Wales’ backroom team for the New Zealander’s first term.
But a return for Howley, who has served his 18-month ban for breaching World Rugby’s betting laws and now works for Rugby Canada, was blocked by the WRU board, who felt the timing wasn’t right. Howley was sent home from the 2019 Rugby World Cup when the betting scandal broke.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, 52-year-old Howley said: “Warren got in touch two weeks before Christmas and I’ve never seen a smile return to the faces of my girls, Megan and Rebecca, like it did that afternoon. They felt their dad had a great opportunity after a difficult few years, rehabbing to get back on track.”
But a phone call from then-WRU chief executive Steve Phillips closed the door on Howley’s hopes of returning to his beloved Wales.
“I had a call off then-CEO Steve Phillips, telling me the board had decided I was unable to return. I couldn’t understand it. Warren wanted me back and ultimately the head coach is pretty important in the organisational structure.
“I felt that I had done my time. A high court judge sat on the panel and gave me an 18-month suspension. I served my time. I was hugely disappointed, I couldn’t believe it had been turned down by the board. Christmas 2022 will be remembered for the wrong reasons. I thought it was in the past so it was tough to take when it was brought up again six months ago. To be told,
‘No, you have to serve a little more time’, it was disappointing. We all make errors in life and I made a huge one. Huge. I know I’m a better person and a better coach for what I’ve gone through. I wish my family and friends had never gone through that but it’s made me a better person and coach.”