Warren Gatland, the former Lions and Wales head coach, joined Telegraph readers on Wednesday morning to answer their questions.
From his time in charge of Wales to the upcoming Lions tour this summer, Telegraph columnist Gatland answered all.
Here are a selection of his answers:
Would Warren work in Welsh rugby again?
Matt O:
Firstly, thanks for all the memories you gave this Welsh fan. Would you consider being a part of Welsh rugby in the future in any guise?
WG:
I’ve loved my time in Wales with the friends that we’ve made and the great memories we take away but mostly the privilege of coaching some outstanding players in that time and working alongside great coaches, support staff and management who have been of the highest calibre. I don’t see myself involved with Wales in the future but I really want to wish the team and new management all the very best going forward.
Owen Farrell for Lions?
Frank Backwash:
Would you consider Owen Farrell for the Lions squad and if so - why?
WG:
He hasn’t played a lot of rugby for Racing and the issue with France is when the players would be released. He does have great experience and is a fantastic competitor so Andy may still consider him because of that.
Should any France-based players be picked for Lions?
George Blackmore:
Are there any players playing out in France that you would consider for the Lions if you were still coach?
WG:
I would consider Jack Willis who is at Toulouse. I think he is an outstanding player.
How many Wales players on Lions tour?
Matt Helfet:
How many Welsh players do you think Andy Farrell will take on the Lions tour this summer? And if you were coaching the Lions tour this summer, how many Welsh players would you pick?
WG:
I think four or five Welsh players have a definite chance of making the Lions tour under Andy Farrell and it’s probably the same number I would select if I was in that role.
Do England lack world-class coaches?
Henry Ward:
Is the biggest thing stopping England becoming world class the lack of any world-class coaches?
WG:
No, I don’t think so. I worked with Steve on the Lions and technically he is an excellent coach. Maybe the thing England need to do is have consistency in their setup. There have been so many changes in recent years of support staff and coaches which can’t help. I also think the Premiership needs to get back to 12 teams. Not sure with the number of players in England that 10 teams is enough for a quality competition.
Marcus Smith for Lions?
Johnnie Hutton:
Given the rollercoaster treatment of Marcus Smith at International level, should Andy Farrell still go ahead and select him for the Lions in Australia?
WG:
Absolutely! I’m a huge fan. He can play 10 or 15 and has the ability to change a game.
12:08 PM GMT
Over and out
Thanks for your all questions!
Scroll down through the live Q+A to find out Warren’s views on Wales, this summer’s Lions tour and the controversial 7/1 bench split.
12:05 PM GMT
And lastly...
Michael Keith Johnson:
Warren, thanks for everything you did for the Lions! What is your favourite tipple so I can buy you a drink?
WG:
A nice red!
12:00 PM GMT
Marcus Smith for Lions?
Johnnie Hutton:
Given the rollercoaster treatment of Marcus Smith at International level, should Andy Farrell still go ahead and select him for the Lions in Australia?
WG:
Absolutely! I’m a huge fan. He can play 10 or 15 and has the ability to change a game.
11:56 AM GMT
What next?
Jack Miller:
As an Englishman/Kiwi hybrid, I have a huge amount of respect for you Warren. My question is, are you done with coaching?What would your next step be ideally? Super Rugby? International rugby? Japan?
WG:
No, I am not done with coaching and not sure what my next step will be. I am going to have a break and have just been enjoying watching the rugby, and looking forward to the Lions series and doing some work with Sky Sports. I don’t know what will be next but I have never had a plan in looking too far forward. What will be will be and something will come along. I have already been contacted by a number of people about possible options so I will maybe look at something after the summer.
One thing that would potentially interest me is working with a team going into the next World Cup. I have been proud of what we have done in Wales and I think the experience I have had could be valuable to a team even if in a consultancy role.
11:51 AM GMT
Thoughts on 7/1 bench split?
William Osborn:
What do you think of the 7/1 forwards to backs split on the bench?
WG:
It is creating a lot of discussion at the moment and people have asked ‘Is it in the spirit of the game?’ even though it is in the rules. To be able to employ this you have to be confident that you have a back line that is fully fit and hopefully unlikely to pick up injuries and you need a couple of players that are comfortable playing in two or three different positions.
I see the biggest issue here is that teams are able to change almost an entire forward pack so you are asking incredibly big, physical men only to play between 30-50 minutes and so are able to have a significant impact particularly in international rugby where it’s about physical and collision dominance. It will be interesting to see how World Rugby tackle this potential discussion.
11:47 AM GMT
Upset in Cardiff this weekend?
Ben Chater:
I can sniff an upset in Cardiff this coming weekend. What do England need to make sure they do well in order to avoid this banana skin of a fixture and win with a bonus-point in order to hopefully give themselves a chance of winning the title?
WG:
I agree that this is probably a banana skin fixture particularly with Wales’s home advantage and the support of the Welsh fans. I don’t think Wales will have any fear of playing against England but I thought there were signs of England beginning to gel as a team against Italy. One of the things England can’t do is try and chase the bonus-point too early and allow Wales to get into the game.
Wales have selected a settled team for the last three matches so that continuity potentially makes them more dangerous for this home game. This last weekend of matches is so important for a number of players who will be well aware that this is the final trial for British and Irish Lions selection.
11:44 AM GMT
Wales regrets?
Liz Roche:
Firstly, I want to say I am a huge Welsh fan and will always be grateful for your efforts in our country win or lose. My question relates to the difficult last spell you had back with us. What is your biggest single regret with the new team? Do you feel you did wrong or was it you merely did not have enough time and depth of young players?
WG:
I don’t have any regrets about coming back to Wales for the 2023 Six Nations and the following World Cup campaign. The Six Nations was a poor campaign for us and we were written off before the World Cup with a lot of people saying we wouldn’t even get out of our pool. We definitely did better than that.
The biggest challenge post World Cup was how many players left the International Squad. Our whole focus then became building the depth of the squad towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
We knew this was going to take time but I appreciate that international rugby is about performance and results and over the last year or so that hasn’t been good enough. That is why I made the difficult decision to move on. I honestly believe that we were making the right decisions to build strength, depth and experience in the squad for Australia 2027 but I also appreciate that time is not always on your side.
11:40 AM GMT
Warren to England?
Simon Everett:
Would you have liked to have had the opportunity to coach England?
WG:
It is always tempting to think about coaching a team like England given the resources they have at their disposal. I loved my time at Wasps back in 2002/2005 and was lucky enough to work with some outstanding English players during that time.
11:36 AM GMT
Do England lack world-class coaches?
Henry Ward:
Is the biggest thing stopping England becoming world class the lack of any world-class coaches?
WG:
No, I don’t think so. I worked with Steve on the Lions and technically he is an excellent coach. Maybe the thing England need to do is have consistency in their setup. There have been so many changes in recent years of support staff and coaches which can’t help. I also think the Premiership needs to get back to 12 teams. Not sure with the number of players in England that 10 teams is enough for a quality competition.
11:33 AM GMT
England’s best centre?
Nicholas Pitman:
Who you pick at centre for England and why?
WG:
Ollie Lawrence is my preferred centre. It was really unfortunate that he was injured last weekend. I think when he is playing well and with confidence he is a real handful in the midfield for any opposition.
11:29 AM GMT
How many Wales players on Lions tour?
Matt Helfet:
How many Welsh players do you think Andy Farrell will take on the Lions tour this summer? And if you were coaching the Lions tour this summer, how many Welsh players would you pick?
WG:
I think four or five Welsh players have a definite chance of making the Lions tour under Andy Farrell and it’s probably the same number I would select if I was in that role.
11:24 AM GMT
Best Lions tourist?
Adrian Williams:
Who is the best British and Irish Lions tourist you worked with and why?
WG:
It is impossible, over four tours in vastly different countries and vastly different circumstances, to narrow the number of wonderful players on those British and Irish Lions tours down to just one individual.
I’ve been lucky to work with some outstanding players from the four home unions between 2009 and 2021. I started to write a list but realised it was too long and actually, if you asked the players the same question, Paul Stridgeon aka Bobby, our fitness and conditioning coach on every tour would definitely be high on the list. He is such an energiser within the group.
11:20 AM GMT
Itoje for Lions skipper?
Earl Rupert:
Has Itoje moved into pole position for Lions captain?
WG:
He is definitely a contender, but I think they will go for Caelan Doris.
11:18 AM GMT
Should any France-based players be picked for Lions?
George Blackmore:
Are there any players playing out in France that you would consider for the Lions if you were still coach?
WG:
I would consider Jack Willis who is at Toulouse. I think he is an outstanding player.
11:15 AM GMT
Owen Farrell for Lions?
Frank Backwash:
Would you consider Owen Farrell for the Lions squad and if so - why?
WG:
He hasn’t played a lot of rugby for Racing and the issue with France is when the players would be released. He does have great experience and is a fantastic competitor so Andy may still consider him because of that.
11:12 AM GMT
Thoughts on ‘Gatland’s law’...
Rhys Jenkins:
What do you honestly think about ‘Gatland’s Law’?
WG:
It was something I never wanted in the first place so I was amazed it was even named ‘Gatland’s Law’. I think the regions and WRU should seriously consider whether that rule is currently fit for purpose.
11:08 AM GMT
Could World Cup campaigns have played out differently?
Geraint Davies:
Wales arguably were unlucky to not make the World Cup finals of 2011 or 2019. How do you think they would’ve gone if you had got to coach either of those?
WG:
One of the things I am really proud of is how well we have gone in World Cups that I have been involved in with Wales. It is the one time, as an international coach, that you feel like you have adequate time to coach and prepare a team, similar to what a club pre-season would be like, leading into such a big event. To think we had two quarter finals and two semi-finals that went down to the wire and maybe, with a bit of luck, could have gone a bit further. It is difficult to say how the team would have gone with or without my involvement.
11:04 AM GMT
Would Warren work in Welsh rugby again?
Matt O:
Firstly, thanks for all the memories you gave this Welsh fan. Would you consider being a part of Welsh rugby in the future in any guise?
WG:
I’ve loved my time in Wales with the friends that we’ve made and the great memories we take away but mostly the privilege of coaching some outstanding players in that time and working alongside great coaches, support staff and management who have been of the highest calibre. I don’t see myself involved with Wales in the future but I really want to wish the team and new management all the very best going forward.
11:00 AM GMT
Here we go...
Hywel Lucas:
Was there a consideration of you ‘moving upstairs’ to take the Director of Rugby role rather than leaving Wales completely at any time?
WG: There was definitely no discussion about me doing the Director of Rugby role. I think the announcement of that role will be made in the next couple of weeks. Even if I had been asked to consider this position I probably would not have applied. This appointment will be so critical to the future of Welsh Rugby over the next few years as there are a number of issues that need to be addressed.
10:56 AM GMT
Warren will begin answering questions in five minutes
Get them in now!
10:46 AM GMT
Gatland interview: ‘Welsh rugby has not been same since Thatcher’
Speaking exclusively for the first time since he decided to walk away from the Wales job earlier in the Six Nations, Warren Gatland opened up to Telegraph Sport on everything from his recent time in charge to why Welsh rugby has fallen away, which goes all the way back to Thatcher...
Read the interview here
10:31 AM GMT
Hello and welcome!
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live Q+A with former Lions and Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
Gatland recently left the Wales job and, besides an interview with Telegraph Sport, has kept his counsel.
But now readers have the opportunity to put questions to Gatland ahead of the title-deciding final round of the Six Nations, which includes a tantalising Wales v England showdown in Cardiff.
So whether your questions are about either of his Wales tenures, past Lions tours he coached or the upcoming one to Australia this summer that Andy Farrell will lead, fire away!
Leave your questions in the comment section here.
