WARREN GATLAND HAS ruled himself out of the running to coach the British and Irish Lions in 2025, and has backed Andy Farrell to be his successor.

Gatland first joined the Lions as an assistant coach in 2009 and was head coach for the last three tours to Australia (2013), New Zealand (2017) and South Africa (2021). 

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, the Wales head coach confirmed he will not be putting his name forward to lead the Lions to Australia in 2025, and explained that he feels Ireland head coach Farrell is the best man for the job.

“I think it is the opportunity now for someone else to be head coach and Andy Farrell would have my backing for the job,” Gatland said.

“You cannot deny what Ireland have achieved as a nation over the last few years and you are starting to see the fruition of the alignment between the Irish provinces and the union. There is no doubt that Andy has done a fantastic job.

“Even though Ireland lost their quarter-final to New Zealand, it was an epic match and it could have gone either way. And that is sport. Everyone always just looks at results rather than what teams have achieved and the progress they have made.

“Andy has got really good man-management skills, has huge experience in the game as a professional from a young age in rugby league and I have a huge amount of respect for him as a person and as a coach.”

Farrell toured with the Lions as defence coach in 2013 and 2017, and Gatland added that he had wanted the Ireland boss to be part of his backroom team again for the 2021 tour to South Africa.

“He was a key member of my Lions coaching teams on the tours of 2013 and 2017 and I wanted him again for the South Africa tour.

“Unfortunately I was told Ireland were not keen on releasing him because of the need to develop another fly-half behind Johnny Sexton – even though there was an opportunity for him to go to South Africa, who were in their World Cup pool, and get a close-up look at them over seven weeks.”