Gatland handed Lions reins for Aussie tour

Ever since the Lions’ reputation suffered a nose-dive at the hands of its first Kiwi coach, Sir Graham Henry, in 2001, the home unions have been reluctant to put the prized red jerseys into the hands of another man from abroad. However, they had precious few options this time around.

Andy Robinson was firmly in the frame for the role even after Scotland’s World Cup flop, but when Scotland lost to England and Wales in the opening weeks of the RBS Six Nations Championship his chances disappeared.

Gatland was in the running for the 2009 tour to South Africa, having steered Wales to the previous RBS Six Nations Championship, but suffered after Henry’s troubles followed by those of Sir Clive Woodward. Woodward may be English, but his tour ideals were arguably further from the traditions and ethos of a Lions tour than were Henry’s. So an SOS went out to Ian McGeechan, who duly responded, but having led Wales to the World Cup semi-finals and claimed another Grand Slam with Wales last season, Gatland thrust himself into pole position.

He would probably have been named shortly after the RBS Six Nations finished, had it not been for a matter of contract negotiations which even the Lions job does not appear to supercede these days and a fall from a ladder.

Gatland was home in New Zealand in April when he fell from a ladder at his beach house and suffered two fractured heels. He was unable to walk for some time and put his immediate involvement in rugby in jeopardy, but Lions officials, including new team manager Andy Irvine, visited him in the summer and had fears allayed over his fitness.

A hooker kept out of the All Blacks by the great Sean Fitzpatrick, Gatland revealed that he was in line to take over last month. McGeechan’s 2009 assistant told a function at Hamilton that he was on the verge of signing a deal as head coach with the Lions. “We still haven’t signed anything yet but it’s very close, and if I do take the position I’ll be seconded to the Lions for ten months,” Gatland was quoted as saying by local media.

It is expected that he will take the Wales coaches Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley, the one member of the management team who has played for the Lions, although Gatland will step back from Test rugby with Wales after the second week of the autumn Tests. “I won’t coach the Samoa and Argentina weeks or be involved in the Six Nations,” Gatland said. “I think that’s trying to give the  position some neutrality.”