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'Not sure how that is going to work to be honest' - Steve Hansen's blunt assessment of Warren Gatland's coaching plans with the Chiefs
In the wake of his victorious final clash against long-time rival Warren Gatland, All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen brought into question the departing Welsh head coach’s post-World Cup plans.
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Gatland, whose side was comprehensively defeated 40-17 by New Zealand in the World Cup bronze medal final in Tokyo on Friday, is set to leave Wales to take up a four-year deal with the Chiefs in Super Rugby.
It’s a long-awaited return home for the 56-year-old Kiwi, who was born and raised in Hamilton and represented Waikato at provincial level for eight years before going on to coach them over three seasons between 2005 and 2007.
However, as part of his long-term deal with the two-time Super Rugby champions, he will take a year-long sabbatical in 2021 to serve as head coach of the British and Irish Lions on their tour to South Africa.
It will be the third time Gatland has taken charge of the esteemed side, after having led the Lions to a series victory over Australia in 2013, and then to a drawn series against New Zealand two years ago.
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He also travelled with the team on their unsuccessful tour of South Africa in 2009 as an assistant coach.
No decision has yet been revealed as to who will act as Gatland’s replacement at the Chiefs during his time away in the Republic, although assistant coach Tabai Matson could be handed the role after confirming he has retained his position with the franchise.
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Speaking to media following the All Blacks’ final appearance at the World Cup, Hansen queried how Gatland’s decision to take a year away from Super Rugby to commit to another Lions tour would impact the Chiefs over the coming seasons.
“Having him back in New Zealand – not sure how that is going to work to be honest,” Hansen, who will now leave the All Blacks after a 16-year affiliation with the side to take up a management position with Japanese club Toyota Verblitz, said.
“Because he is going to go and do the Lions after that.
“So there is not going to be a lot of continuity there for the Chiefs and him. But I am sure he will work his way through that.”
Warren Gatland’s Wales reign finished with back-to-back World Cup defeats but he still leaves his role as coach with a superb record. #RWC2019 https://t.co/XrwYffWmLi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2019
Gatland, meanwhile, was appreciative of New Zealand Rugby’s flexibility to allow him to split his time between the Chiefs and Lions over the next four years.
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He had initially hoped to take six months’ leave from coaching before focusing on the Lions tour, but the offer provided by the Chiefs proved to be too good to turn down.
“I got an approach from the Chiefs and felt if I didn’t take that role, then it wouldn’t be there after the Lions,” Gatland said.
“Thankfully the NZ rugby union allowed me to take a year’s sabbatical, so it will be a real challenge.”
Although he was critical of the unique employment situation his opposite found himself in, Hansen paid homage to the coaching battle he has enjoyed with Gatland since the pair first faced off in the international arena in 2008.
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At that point, Gatland was in his first season in charge of Wales following their pool play exit from the 2007 World Cup in France, while Hansen was nearing the end of his fifth season as Sir Graham Henry’s assistant coach for the All Blacks.
Since Hansen succeeded Henry as the head coach of New Zealand in 2012, he and Gatland have been pitted against each other on numerous occasions as the All Blacks went head-to-head with both Wales and the Lions.
His compliment didn’t come without a little dig at Gatland’s winning percentage against the Kiwis, though.
“I think we have played 10 times, and it might be eight wins (to the All Blacks), one loss and one draw,” Hansen said.
“So it has been competitive, yeah.
“You know he is coaching a team in Wales that I once coached. You take a lot of notice of what’s happening, and he’s done a wonderful job coaching them.”
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Will rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
2 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
2 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
2 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
3 Go to comments