THE WELSH RUGBY Union is confident Warren Gatland will honour the final two years of his contract despite attracting attention from Northampton Saints.
Gatland has already announced he will leave his role as Wales head coach after the 2019 World Cup, but the Saints have hinted they could try to tempt him away earlier.
The Premiership side, who are 10th in the table, sacked director of rugby Jim Mallinder last week after a decade in charge, and chairman Keith Barwell confirmed Gatland had been identified as a potential replacement.
However, WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips does not think the Saints will be able to turn Gatland’s head.
“I didn’t lose a beat if I’m honest,” he said. “He’s going to get linked with all sorts of jobs isn’t he, because he’s one of the top coaches in the world.
“When you come down to a list of who really are the proven top-class coaches, those that are will get talked about a lot.
“I would like to believe he will be here for the World Cup. It comes up [in conversation] a lot.
“He is one of the highest profile, most experienced coaches in the world and gets linked with quite a few things and I tend not to get to distracted by it.”
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To be fair the man has been seriously successful at Wales
He’s getting approximately £450,000 a year and the World Cup is less than two years off, he’s meant to be stepping aside then, so he won’t be leaving them for the Premiership just yet.
Thr only club job Gats is going to step down to take is an NZ Super Rugby job with one clear intention. I will bet my hat, and eat my bottom dollar if I’m wrong
@Conor Paddington: you have a dollar in your bottom? That makes a refreshing change from having your opinions come from there.
@Ruairi O’Bric: that was close to a sick burn, but a couple of degrees off. However, it’s Christmas so I’ll give it to you.
@Jim Demps: you got that right
Gatland would suit the boshiership no doubt
Typical Premiership solution . Fire current coach for poor run of results . Try to hire unavailable substitute in usual style ( throwing money at the problem) . Fail spectacularly . Next stop: Appoint has-been as temporary coach . Phillipe St Andre or similar .
As usual it makes no sense what Northampton did .
He probably gave Rassie a call too !
Y tho