'I would hate to ever go through what we had to do in 2017': Warren Gatland's plea to the Premiership ahead of 2021 Lions tour
Incoming Chiefs coach Warren Gatland has pleaded to Premiership clubs in England to move the competition’s final in 2021 to allow for better preparation for that year’s British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
The outgoing Welsh coach will take a year off from his Chiefs duties to take charge of the composite side on their tour to the Republic after two successful tours against the Wallabies in 2013 and the All Blacks in 2017.
However, the 56-year-old had to withstand “horrendous” preparation leading into his trip to New Zealand two years ago, with the Lions arriving in the country just four days prior to their opening tour match against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians to accomodate the domestic club finals in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Continue reading below…
The star-studded Lions outfit stuttered to a 13-7 victory over the semi-professional outfit in Whangarei, but lost two of their following three matches against the Blues and Highlanders.
Revelations of jet-lagged players sleeping on the team bus on the way to the Barbarians match was indicative of the rough travel schedule the Lions had to endure, and Gatland is desperate to avoid a repeat situation when his side depart for South Africa in two years’ time.
“I would hate to ever go through what we had to do in 2017,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The team assembled after the two finals, met at the leaving dinner, flew out on the Monday, arrived on the Wednesday and played on the Friday [Saturday].
“People were asleep on the bus to the game because of the jet-lag. It was horrendous.”
Eddie Jones has revealed the moment in his career which left him tears – the day he was sacked as the Wallabies head coach.https://t.co/f8wxWuE2uK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 19, 2019
Adding to the challenge of the next Lions tour is the fact that Gatland’s side will be tasked with downing the newly-crowned world champion Springboks over a three-test series in their home nation.
Doing so will prove to be difficult if the Daily Mail‘s report that the Premiership final will take place just a week before the Lions’ first match of the 2021 tour.
It’s a move which has left Gatland dismayed, especially after the Pro14 revealed it would be moving its final that year to alleviate the scheduling stress faced by the Lions.
“They have said they are not moving their final which I find very disappointing,” he told the Daily Mail.
“In fairness to the Pro14 they have moved theirs a week earlier. If PRL did that it would be fantastic. We are still negotiating with them. It would help us so much in the planning and preparation. I am saying to the clubs and PRL, embrace the Lions. You are going to play the world champions now.
“I want to say to them that there’s an opportunity for players to go on a Lions tour and come back as superstars. With the interest that the Lions creates, the viewers it gets, if someone goes out there as an unknown or comes from a club side and becomes a superstar, how brilliant is that for the clubs?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5BNKLXAOwa/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
“They can promote someone who has been on the Lions, they can sell more tickets and then kids what to watch them play and all sorts.
“I think we’re just missing a trick here. I cannot understand why PRL would not want to be more positive about doing more to help the Lions and embrace it.
“Everyone else seems love it – the players, fans and everyone else – it just seems there is a small group, whether it is the owners I am not 100 per cent sure, that are not keen on supporting it.
“Fans love it, South Africa will get into it, the players will too. It’s the one frustrating thing I will have to deal with. Hopefully common sense will prevail.
“We still have time to make a decision to move that final in 2021 – there is enough time to make that change.
“Whether they are playing hard-ball or not it would be nice to give the Lions the best possible chance to go there and win the series.”
The Lions lost their last test series against the Springboks in 2009, where Gatland acted as an assistant Sir Ian McGeechan, to going down 2-1 overall.
Gatland will report for Chiefs duty on December 3 following his farewell from Wales on November 30, where he will coach the Barbarians against his former side at Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
What a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically. I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
25 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
4 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
4 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to comments