Warren Gatland leaves role as Wales head coach

Warren Gatland’s second reign as Wales head coach has come to an end.

The Welsh Rugby Union has called time on Gatland’s tenure with immediate effect on Tuesday afternoon, meaning he will not be in charge when Wales resume their Guinness Six Nations campaign at home to title favourites Ireland on February 22.

It follows a record run of 14 successive Test match defeats that began with Wales’ 2023 World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina.

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Gatland has found himself behind the eight-ball following opening Six Nations games that produced a 43-0 drubbing by France and 22-15 loss to Italy, which was Wales’ first defeat in Rome for 17 years.

If Gatland goes mid-tournament, the WRU would be required to appoint an interim head coach for remaining Six Nations fixtures against Ireland, Scotland and England.

Current Wales assistant coach Rob Howley filled that role during Gatland’s first reign as Wales boss when the New Zealander was on British and Irish Lions coaching duties.

A permanent successor to Gatland, should he depart, would ideally be in place for Wales’ two-Test summer tour to Japan.

Candidates in the mix could include current Glasgow head coach Franco Smith, former Australia boss Michael Cheika and Wales-based Simon Easterby, who is interim Ireland boss for the Six Nations while Andy Farrell prepares to take charge of the Lions in Australia later this year.

Wales are not expected to remotely trouble Ireland in their next game, and they will arrive there from a new World Rugby-rankings low of 12th, having been overtaken by Georgia.

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The WRU assessed Wales’ miserable Autumn Nations Series campaign earlier this season, which featured defeats against Fiji, Australia and South Africa, before backing Gatland to continue.

But speaking at the time, WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said: “I’ve had a number of very honest conversations with Warren, and I will make no secret of the fact that his position was on the line as we undertook our review.

“Further than that, like any head coach in any sport, he knows the security of his position is directly related to the performances of the team, and that this is a situation that will continue to intensify.”