So…the British and Irish Lions coach is officially in place and Warren Gatland is confident his boys can do something that hasn’t happened for 45 years – beat New Zealand.
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Gatland, who also served as an assistant on the 2009 tour to South Africa, added: “I really enjoyed the experiences of the 2009 and 2013 Lions tours and believe once again I will benefit as a coach from the experience in 2017”.
Gatland had to cope with such problems last time when he arranged training camps at Carton House in Dublin and at Wales’ base in the Vale of Glamorgan, with domestic finals still to be played. If that’s 25 Englishmen and two Welshmen then that will be the squad.
England coach Eddie Jones was also touted as a contender for the Lions job, but he ruled himself out earlier this year.
“It’s easier to select players who are coming in from a winning environment with a lot of confidence”.
“The biggest lesson is that you have to be true to yourself”, he said. If Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton, Owen Farrell, Stuart Hogg, George North et al are all fit and available, the Lions really should be competitive.
“He’s not been suspended for a while so that’s a big tick against his name”, said Gatland with a grin. “Hopefully he’ll continue in that vein”.
A brutal schedule has been made yet more onerous with the news that the Blues, Crusaders and Highlanders will be “loaded up” with players expected to feature for the world champions in the Test series.
Four years ago, Tommy Bowe, Sean O’Brien and Conor Murray all failed to make the matchday 23 for the First Test, before competing in the final two.
“We needed to protect the players before that first Test, and we probably didn’t put out as strong a side as we could have”, he admitted.
The 52-year-old Wales coach – who guided the Lions to a 2-1 series win over Australia in 2013 – faces a monumental task in overcoming his fellow New Zealanders as the Lions have won just one series in New Zealand, back in 1971. It’s not my role to have any favourites and we’ll pick who we think are the best players. “We’re going to be battle-hardened and ready before the first Test”. “Maybe me making these comments might make them change their mind”.
He will temporarily step down from his role with Wales, and will be replaced by Rob Howley.
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‘On the last Lions tour to Australia there was a debate about the number of Scottish players taking part but what has been pleasing is that we have seen some progression in Scottish rugby since then, ‘ said Gatland.
