#Warren Gatland

The cameras were rolling for their behind-the-scenes series at Wales' Vale of Glamorgan training base on Tuesday and they were only focused on one man. Warren Gatland did not disappoint those behind the lens. The New Zealander's words were softly spoken, but each and every one carried weight. Gatland reserved his strongest thoughts for when the…

Warren Gatland believes that Rob Howley should be forgiven for breaching betting rules and been allowed his opportunity to possibly rejoin Wales' coaching staff. ormer Wales attack coach Howley was sent home from Japan on the eve of the 2019 World Cup and he subsequently received an 18-month ban from rugby, nine of which were suspended. Howley has…

With the Welsh Rugby Union deciding on a head coach change so close to the 2023 World Cup in France, Warren Gatland does not have long before the major tournament across the Channel. However, having worked under limited time frames in the past with the British & Irish Lions, if anyone can turn things around for Wales in this time, it's…

1 - Who will win the World Cup? On home soil, and with a star-studded squad full of pace and power, there is no doubt that France are the team to beat. However, this looks like being one of the most open World Cups ever, with at least six teams capable of going all the way. Bring it on. 2 - Can Ireland break their glass ceiling? Heart says yes,…

Returning Wales coach Warren Gatland will have been thrilled at how the regions fared, winning four from four across the Heineken Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup, while players old and new staked a claim to new England boss Steve Borthwick. England and Wales, as well as Scotland, will all be naming their squads for the Championship next week,…

Mason Grady earns reward for bright performances off the bench with a start for Cardiff when they face Newcastle Falcons in the EPCR Challenge Cup encounter at the Arms Park today (1pm). He is one of eight changes coach Dai Young makes after last weekend's home defeat in the United Rugby Championship to the Scarlets. The young centre, an imposing…

One of the biggest calls Warren Gatland will have to make for the Six Nations is who to install as Wales captain, with a number of strong candidates putting up their hands. Justin Tipuric and Dan Biggar have led Wales over the past two campaigns, while Adam Beard has leadership qualities and so do Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake, Ken Owens and, of course,…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Friday, January 13. Scotland's sporting anthem Flower of Scotland should be ditched because of its anti-English "chippiness", according to rugby legend Jim Telfer. Having previously made the call for it to be replaced 12 years ago, the Scot hasn't changed his mind about the song which refers to Robert the…

Warren Gatland is ready to kick-start his second stint as Wales head coach with a bang. During his first tenure as Wales boss, Gatland stuck with the same lieutenants throughout the entirety of his 12 years in charge. If people thought it was going to be a case of same old Gatland this time around, they were wrong with the New Zealander selecting…

The next 12 months have the potential to be game-changing for rugby. It's a World Cup year and domestic leagues are becoming ever more competitive, so here are my three hopes for the coming year. My main hope for 2023 is to see England give the Six Nations and World Cup a good go. I still do not believe sacking Eddie Jones was the right thing to do…

Warren Gatland set his sights on upsetting world No 1 Ireland after completing his Wales coaching set-up for the Six Nations with the appointments of Alex King and Mike Forshaw. Gatland made a dramatic return as Wales head coach in December to replace the sacked Wayne Pivac and immediately stamped his mark by removing Stephen Jones and Gethin…

It has been a hugely eventful year in the world of rugby, amid a plethora of incident and individual excellence. Here's our A-Z guide of what went on in 2021. A is for Alun Wyn Where better to start than with a man who has risen to new heights this part year amid more superhuman exploits. Having skippered Wales to the Six Nations title, he was then…

Leigh Halfpenny is not a man who seeks confrontation, at least he doesn't when he's off the rugby field. Just about the most softly-spoken and shy player on the circuit, he has an unassuming personality that some would consider at odds with his soaring status in the sport. So you wonder whether Halfpenny will have the stomach for the animosity and…

France head into the 2023 Six Nations heavily favoured and eager to repeat their dazzling performance in 2022, which saw them win the Championship and Grand Slam for the first time since 2010. Meanwhile, both England and Wales are set to compete in their first major tournament since the sacking of their respective head coaches, Eddie…

The 2015 Rugby World Cup has captured the imagination of the public so many times since it began at the end of September. With shocks, spills and jubilation at nearly every twist and turn, it has entertained and surprised in equal measure. Whether it has been England's early exit, Japan's vivacious victory over South Africa or Ireland's…

No self-respecting tour would be complete without some frivolous awards, so without further ado, here are RW's Alternative Lions awards... At the end of an emotional, roller-coaster of six weeks on tour, it's time for Rugby World to hand out a few tongue-in-cheek gongs to a few individuals, highlights and lowlights that caught our…

Australia international Dave Dennis will captain the New South Wales Waratahs against the British and Irish Lions tomorrow after the back rower was released from Wallabies duty for the match. No.8 Dennis will join centre Rob Horne in the side after Robbie Deans agreed both could leave the Australian camp to feature against the Lions. In total, four…

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is looking to former England assistant coach Paul Gustard to fill the defence vacancy in his backroom staff. Gatland is finalising his support staff ahead of the upcoming Six Nations campaign, and PA understands that Gustard is a leading contender to fill one of the vacancies. Returning for his second stint at Wales,…

This season's Guinness Six Nations Championship will see a familiar face and an exciting international newcomer in the coaches' corner. Warren Gatland has returned for a second stint with Wales, replacing Wayne Pivac, while Steve Borthwick takes the England reins after Eddie Jones was sacked two weeks ago. Here the PA news agency looks at the four…

Warren Gatland will rip up the Wales coaching team he inherited from Wayne Pivac with Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins set to move on from their current assistant positions. Former Wales attack chief Rob Howley and ex-England and Harlequins coach Paul Gustard are leading contenders to fill their roles in Gatland's new regime. Gatland made a…

Welsh rugby heads into the new year with one headline-grabbing decision having been made, but lots of other issues still to be resolved. The autumn internationals marked the end of the road for Wayne Pivac as Wales coach and a return to the helm for Warren Gatland. You never like to see anyone lose their job and Pivac is a decent bloke who gave it…

Lineen played for the Scots from 1989 and 1992, sharing in their 1990 Five Nations grand slam. There has since been a continuous Kiwi influence in the Five Nations/Six Nations since 1994. This year's tournament kicks off this weekend, with seven New Zealand-born players and two Kiwi head coaches involved. Some - notably French prop Uini Atonio -…

With the Rugby World Cup under nine months away, we thought it was worth picking seven players to watch out for in 2023. There are plenty of established figures here who have their own individual stories and targets over the next 12 months so without further ado, here's our selection. The centre is set for a big 2023 after getting back to full…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, December 26, 2022. Louis Rees-Zammit went off injured within the opening 10 minutes of Gloucester's Christmas Eve defeat to Leicester Tigers. The Wales winger suffered an ankle injury just six weeks before the Six Nations begins. The severity of the injury is not yet known but the ankle was heavily…

2023 is nearly upon as and the big rugby focus of the year will, of course, be the World Cup. All the teams are now known, the fixtures are set and Warren Gatland is back to lead Wales to a fourth global tournament. So what chance does the Kiwi have of repeating and bettering previous successes that saw semi-final finishes in 2011 and 2019, as well…

Warren Gatland will have to overcome long odds if he is to pick up where he left off and win the 2023 Six Nations following his return to Wales. Gatland lifted a Grand Slam in the final Six Nations campaign of his first 12-year stint in charge of the national team in 2019. But the side he now takes over are completely unfancied with the bookies as…

You normally come away from an opening Six Nations weekend with a pretty good idea what teams you want to keep on side, from a handicap point of view at least, for the rest of the tournament. But, with the exception of England, the performance of the other five countries sent out some very mixed messages indeed. And it would appear that the coaches…

Here are the latest rugby headlines for Tuesday, July 5. Jamie Roberts has rubbished the narrative that Wales have missed their best chance of beating South Africa, and believes they can be even better in Bloemfontein this weekend. Wales lost agonisingly in the dying minutes in Pretoria last weekend, but Roberts saw enough to be encouraged heading…

Your rugby headlines on Sunday December 11. Eddie Jones is being linked with what is being dubbed a'sensational' rugby return for the World Cup which would see him lock horns with Wales. The axed England boss is being eyed up by Australia to join their coaching team for the tournament next autumn as the Wallabies look to'weaponise' what has just…

Warren Gatland wants to operate in a "no excuse environment" after taking charge of Wales for a second time. The New Zealander's previous spell as Wales head coach between 2007 and 2019 delivered four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams, two World Cup semi-final appearances and a brief time as rugby union's world number one team. This time…

Warren Gatland won't save Welsh rugby without major root and branch surgery to the game at all levels. That's the verdict of former Sport Wales chief executive Huw Jones, who has urged newly-elected Welsh Rugby Union chairman Ieuan Evans to call an extraordinary general meeting to propose the establishment of a skills-based board to take Welsh…

I am surprised England sacked Eddie Jones because he has a brilliant record at World Cups and it is only nine months away. He reached the final with Australia in 2003, won it with the Springboks in 2007, did incredible things with Japan in 2015 and was runner-up with England in 2019. He is a big tournament guy and I don't remember many coaches…

ENGLAND have sacked head coach Eddie Jones after seven years in the Twickenham hot seat. The 62-year-old has been dismissed following a dismal autumn series that saw his side win just one out of four games. Jones' contract had been due to expire after the World Cup in France next year but the RFU have swung the axe following a review of recent…

There are soap operas that have been around for a long time and have fewer plot lines than international rugby coaching right now. There hasn't been a prime-time comeback like Warren Gatland's return as Wales coach since EastEnders' Dirty Den returned to Walford in 2003. The most contentious Australian relationship since Kylie It is also ironic…

Wayne Pivac's reign as Wales head coach has come to an end less than a year out from the World Cup in France. He paid the price for some damaging defeats, notably this year against Italy and Georgia. Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the highs and lows during Pivac's time in charge. HIGHS 2021 Six Nations title success Pivac had the…

Warren Gatland is ready to consider an overarching new role in Welsh rugby which could see him in charge for the next TWO World Cups as Wales seek to prise their number one target away from England's clutches. Wales and England are each considering a short-term swoop for Gatland as they prepare to make decisions on the futures of Wayne Pivac and…

Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup matches. Channel 4 & Amazon Prime, 3pm Saturday England to win by one to 12 points 1pt 2-1 Betfair England coach Eddie Jones says he has picked "the strongest team possible for the most important game of our season," and his charges may be made to work against an…

England are considering RFU director of performance Conor O'Shea as an interim coaching option with Warren Gatland also in the frame as Eddie Jones' future looks increasingly uncertain. RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney, alongside O'Shea, is holding a review into the performance of their current head coach Jones after England's worst year in terms…

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Former England captain, Chris Robshaw has backed Eddie Jones to remain in charge of the national side despite a poor run of recent form and results. Former England captain Chris Robshaw believes that Eddie Jones is the "right man" to lead England into the Rugby World Cup, describing him…

All the latest odds ahead of this weekend's quarter-final The countdown to the knockout stages of the Rugby World Cup is underway. All eight teams will have optimism filling the air around them as some hope to upset the odds while others will be looking to prove why they are the favourites. England, Wales and Ireland will be representing the Home…

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, November 24. Bookmakers have released the first odds on Wayne Pivac's potential successor as Wales coach, even though the Kiwi is still the man at the helm. The under-fire Welsh boss today names his team to face Australia at the weekend knowing he needs to find a winning formula as pressure builds…

The last time South Africa toured New Zealand, from June-August 1994, they played 14 matches; 11 against provincial rugby teams and three against the All Blacks. South Africa won 10 of the 11 provincial matches,losing only to Otago, before losing the first two tests against New Zealand and drawing the third. This was also their first tour to New…

While England's failures this month have been well documented, the other home nations experienced a range of fortunes during the Autumn Nations Series. In the rugby world rankings, European pair Ireland and France have maintained their hold at the summit while New Zealand have jumped South Africa for third. Beyond that, Wales have plummeted from…

Rob Howley has emerged as a shock contender to join Warren Gatland as part of Wales' Rugby World Cup coaching ticket should they decide to get rid of Wayne Pivac. A sub-committee of the main Welsh Rugby Union board met last week to discuss potential options to succeed Pivac after the New Zealander finished the year with a shocking three wins from…

They are the Wales internationals who spent the autumn on the outside looking in. Many of them may not say it, but all will still crave the opportunity to pull on their country's jersey once again. For a number of those listed below, it's a case of odds-against. But a few just may interest Wayne Pivac for the autumn. We look at the XV of out of…

It is sixth against ninth in World Rugby rankings as Argentina arrive in Cardiff to face Wales. Except this time, after a 30-29 win over England at Twickenham, it is Michael Cheika's Pumas riding higher in the global standings than Wayne Pivac's Wales. Three places between the two sides, three years and three months after Wales had topped the world…

It's the third match for Gregor Townsend's side in the Autumn Nations Series which will conclude next weekend against Argentina in Edinburgh. Scotland opened their autumn campaign with a 16-15 loss to Australia then beat Fiji 28-12. New Zealand represents a significant step up for the Scots who have never beaten the All Blacks in 31 Test…

Rassie Erasmus is a surprise absentee among five contenders to succeed Eddie Jones as England head coach, according to bookmakers. Jones will be stepping down from his role after the 2023 World Cup in France, but the Australian is again under fire after the Roses suffered a shock 30-29 defeat by Argentina at Twickenham on Sunday. Earlier this year,…

Warren Gatland has tipped two England stars to shine during the Autumn Nations Series. Writing in The Telegraph, the former Wales and Lions boss identified 12 players to watch over the next month of exciting test rugby. Below we take a look at his choices from the home nations. To read his full list read his article by clicking…