Chiefs head coach Warren Gatland has revealed he would “absolutely” like to return to the Hamilton franchise next year should the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa be canceled. Rugby fans can book DHL Stormers Vs British And Irish Lions Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.
Gatland will leave his post with the Chiefs next season to
take the helm of the Lions for a third consecutive tour after leading them to a
series win against the Wallabies in 2013 and a series draw against the All
Blacks in 2017.
He is then expected to return to see out the final two years
of his four-year deal with the two-time Super Rugby champions, with Maori All
Blacks and Bay of Plenty coach Clayton MacMillan signing a one-year contract to
fill the void left by Gatland next season.
South Africa
Should the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to wreak havoc
in South Africa, force the cancellation of the tour to the Republic, Gatland
said he would relish the opportunity to return to the Chiefs. The Lions tour
was given the go-ahead three weeks ago to allow some “certainty” for the
multitude of fans expected to travel from the United Kingdom.
However, with over half a million coronavirus cases in South
Africa, there is plenty of uncertainty about the feasibility of the eight-match
tour, which is scheduled to kick-off against the Stormers in Cape Town on July
3.
“It’s something we haven’t talked about. I’d have to do it
for free, probably, I won’t get paid,” Gatland said when asked on Friday if he
would like to stay involved in the Chiefs’ plans next season if the Lions tour
is called off.
But absolutely. In these last seven or eight weeks, I’ve
learned a lot about the players, and what sort of things you’d do differently,
what things you would continue with.
“Working with the other coaches, hopefully, the things that
we’ve learned collectively will be beneficial for next year. So if he’s with
the Lions it’s going to be a challenge. Would I like that continuity? I would.
But we’re still day by day and we’re seeing what’s going to be happening in
that space going forward.”
Warren
Gatland
Gatland will head to the UK early next month ahead of the
2020-21 domestic season as he begins to prepare for the tour as the Lions eye
their first series win over the Springboks since 1997. The Chiefs, meanwhile,
will look to register their first Super Rugby Aotearoa win in their final game
of the season against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.
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