Gatland leaves Wales head coach role during Six Nations
Source: http://www.richportaltv.com
Following a record 14 straight Test match losses, Warren Gatland resigned as Wales’ head coach during the Six Nations.
According to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Gatland, 61, left by mutual accord after his contract expired before the 2027 World Cup.
Matt Sherratt, the head coach of Cardiff, will serve as temporary head coach for the final three Six Nations matches.
According to WRU CEO Abi Tierney, Gatland started discussions over his future following Saturday’s defeat in Italy, and both sides decided that a quick move was “in the best interests” of the Wales team.
Gatland said in a statement: “After a challenging campaign in 2024, I would like to thank the WRU board for their faith in me.”
No announcement has been made on the rest of the current coaching team.
Wales face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, then travel to Scotland on 8 March before finishing the tournament at home against England on 15 March.
Tierney said the WRU wants to appoint a permanent successor before the summer tour to Japan with “all options open”.
Former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow coach Franco Smith and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby are potential long-term successors.
“We are grateful to Warren for all he has done for the game in Wales. He remains our longest-serving and most decorated head coach in terms of the silverware he has won,” said Tierney.
“It is a credit to [Sherratt] that he has not hesitated to answer Wales’ call.”
Gatland offered to resign after the loss to Italy in 2024 but vowed to fight on immediately after the latest defeat by the Azzurri.
Following the winless autumn 2024 series – which included defeats against Fiji, Australia and South Africa – the WRU held a review.
Gatland was given the green light to continue for the 2025 Six Nations but his second stint sunk to a new low with a record 43-0 defeat in the opening game against France in Paris, before the loss in Rome.
It is the third time a Wales head coach has left in the middle of the Six Nations following Graham Henry (2002) and Mike Ruddock (2006).
Gatland presided over statistically the worst Wales side in their 144-year international rugby history, slumping to their 14th successive defeat as they lost 22-15 to Italy in Rome last weekend.
Three Grand Slams, two global Cup semi-finals, and a record run of 14 victories that briefly put Wales at the top of the global rankings were all part of the New Zealander’s previous 12-year tenure as Wales coach.
He departed following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, however he returned in December 2022 to take Wayne Pivac’s place for a second term.
Since then, Gatland has only managed six wins in 26 Test matches, which is a pitiful 23% win percentage. In the global standings, Wales has likewise fallen to their lowest point of 12th.
Gatland has managed 151 games across both stints, with a record of 76 victories, 73 losses, and two draws.