Warren Gatland to take over the Chiefs (in NZ) after the World Cup

Warren Gatland will return to New Zealand to coach the Chiefs after the World Cup. Radio Sport reported this morning Gatland has signed a four-year deal to return to the Waikato for the 2020 Super Rugby season, which was later confirmed by the club...He will be released next August to coach the British and Irish Lions and return for the 2022 and 2023 Super Rugby campaigns.

Gatland said he was grateful for the chance to return home to New Zealand to coach a side he has a strong connection to.

"I am really excited about the opportunity to come back home. The opportunity to come back as head coach of the Chiefs is something that I am really looking forward to. The Chiefs are well known for the success they've had both on and off the field and the really loyal support they have from everyone within the Chiefs region.

"I am excited to come back and be a part of the Chiefs community with the players, the fans, the sponsors, it's something I really look forward to."

New Zealand Rugby have made a "massive concession" by appointing Warren Gatland as Chiefs coach, according to former All Black Justin Marshall.Radio Sport revealed this morning that Gatland has signed a four-year deal to return to the Waikato for the 2020 Super Rugby season but will be released next August to coach the British and Irish Lions, before returning to New Zealand for the 2022 and 2023 Super Rugby campaigns.

Marshall said New Zealand Rugby won't be happy about the special terms of Gatland's contract, but it was the right play to make."It's a massive concession," Marshall told Radio Sport. "The New Zealand Rugby Union have not often given too much leniency when it involves helping the rest of the world. And to an extent that's what Warren Gatland will be doing. There's also a bit of information from New Zealand Rugby that he'll be taking with him.

"They won't be happy about it, but they see the value of having him here, and are prepared to concede that to let him go and coach the Lions and bring a bit of the skillset, information, ideas into the Lions camp, which educates players from the northern hemisphere. But they still see there's more value in having him in New Zealand than not, so they're prepared to let the rope out a little bit. I think that's brilliant. We've got to move with the future, and we've got to look at the overall picture rather than the short-term one. This is showing more compassion."

Pie wrote:Taylorman must be crying in his milk right now

Next stop ABs coach congrats Gats

Pie wrote:Taylorman must be crying in his milk right now

Next stop ABs coach congrats Gats

Pie wrote:

Just love how NZRU think that NH needs some help regarding bringing some experience into the Lions camp...ah the arrogance of these folks is just mind blowing. Simple fact is they want he most successful coach in the NH back to teach them a thing or two.

Taylorman wrote:

Pie wrote:

Just love how NZRU think that NH needs some help regarding bringing some experience into the Lions camp...ah the arrogance of these folks is just mind blowing. Simple fact is they want he most successful coach in the NH back to teach them a thing or two.

What part of reappointing Gats for the Lions isnt to do with the NH needing help pie?

Wales needed it, successive Lions tours needed it, and now even when hes back they still need it, and Wales have chosen yet another NZ coach (how many is that now?) to lead them.

Do share. Who is encouraging that 'arrogance'?

Us, or you?

Rugby Fan wrote:I wonder what he, or his employers, will regard as success with the Chiefs.

Pie wrote:

Taylorman wrote:

Pie wrote:

Just love how NZRU think that NH needs some help regarding bringing some experience into the Lions camp...ah the arrogance of these folks is just mind blowing. Simple fact is they want he most successful coach in the NH back to teach them a thing or two.

What part of reappointing Gats for the Lions isnt to do with the NH needing help pie?

Wales needed it, successive Lions tours needed it, and now even when hes back they still need it, and Wales have chosen yet another NZ coach (how many is that now?) to lead them.

Do share. Who is encouraging that 'arrogance'?

Us, or you?

Gats is a NH coach now, you'll be benefiting form his knowledge of NH rugby, I'd say you lot need it after losing 7/10 games on the last Lions tour

mikey_dragon wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:I wonder what he, or his employers, will regard as success with the Chiefs.

Ummmm, winning?

formerly known as Sam wrote:So how long before Gatland Jnr signs for Chiefs?

I'm not sure how flexible Gatland will be in terms of changing from Gatland Ball. He did adopt the two playmaker combination during the Lions AB tour so he doesn't always select the two biggest centres he can find. What might be the biggest issue for him is defence, over the last however many years he's looked to Shaun Edwards to mastermind that area and he won't have that at the Chiefs. This year's grand slam was pretty much all because of the defence which was incredible.

Rugby Fan wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Rugby Fan wrote:I wonder what he, or his employers, will regard as success with the Chiefs.

Ummmm, winning?

That's taken for granted. The question is, how well the Chiefs need to do for Gatland to be deemed a success. Does he have to win Super Rugby with them in his first season? Or his second season? If not, will it be enough to reach the quarter finals, as the Chiefs did this year, or will Gatland be expected to make it to a semi-finals, or final. Will the style of play matter, or will results on the field be the only metric?