Gatland has been told he would be welcomed back to the Chiefs (Image: Getty Images)
Warren Gatland’s former employers have extended an invitation for him to return if he decides to leave his position with Wales. The future of the New Zealander as head coach, a role he resumed for the second time when he rejoined Wales in 2022, is uncertain after a record-breaking streak of 12 consecutive Test match losses.
Following a winless Six Nations, summer defeats to Australia and South Africa, and a disappointing autumn campaign, Wales has gone a full calendar year without a victory for the first time since 1937. While it would be grossly unfair to place all the blame on Gatland, his future with Wales is now under review by the Welsh Rugby Union, with a decision expected in the coming weeks.
After the defeat to South Africa at the weekend, Gatland stated he was “motivated to want to be here” but earlier in the autumn admitted he was comfortable with whatever decision was made about his future and would step down if he felt it was in the best interests of Welsh rugby. Now, Gatland’s hometown club, the Chiefs, may have provided him with an escape route from Wales, as the Super Rugby Pacific side is open to welcoming the coach back to New Zealand.
Gatland, who had previously worked at the club on either side of his first stint with Wales, found his return to the club challenging. His team lost all eight of their Super Rugby Aotearoa games and ended up at the bottom of the table.
Gatland was then moved to a newly created director of rugby role at the club before rejoining Wales. Despite overseeing the worst losing streak in the Chiefs’ history while introducing young players, the club’s CEO Simon Graafhuis insists that Gatland has not lost his touch.
In an interview with the Waikato Times, he even hinted at the possibility of welcoming him back. “He’s a well-proven world-class coach, he’s local, Gatty would be welcome back here,” he said.
“Didn’t they call him the redeemer? You think of what he’s done for Wales.
“It’s hard when you don’t have the cattle… sometimes things don’t work, necessarily, with a different cohort. But that doesn’t mean you’re a bad coach.”
While Graafhuis admitted a director of rugby role could again be considered, a return for Gatland at this stage looks unlikely, with head coach Clayton McMillan performing well since taking over from the now-Wales boss, initially as an interim coach.
“[Gatland] is someone who the club holds in high regard,” Graafhuis added. “If you have a position available, you’d be silly not to consider him. But we don’t have a spot at the moment, our roster’s full for next year.”