Rob Howley has emerged as a serious contender to become part of Warren Gatland's backroom team for the Rugby World Cup with Jonathan Thomas also in the frame.
Former Wales scrum-half Howley was Gatland's right hand man between 2008 and 2019 while he was also caretaker head coach on two occasions when the New Zealander took a sabbatical to coach the British & Irish Lions.
Gatland is on a mission to turn Wales into contenders in both the Six Nations and next year's World Cup but faces a dilemma over what to do with the backroom team he has inherited from Wayne Pivac.
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If Howley is appointed it would prove controversial with the 52-year-old sent home from the 2019 World Cup and banned for 18 months for breaching betting rules.
Over the past couple of years he has been assistant coach with Canada, and it would now be surprise if he didn't link up once again with Gatland. Should Gatland decide to appoint Howley it is unclear whether he will work alongside current attack coach Stephen Jones or replace him altogether.
Gatland is also pondering whether to appoint a new forwards coach with both Robin McBryde and Jonathan Thomas among a handful of names in the frame should he decide to part ways with Jonathan Humphreys.
Former Scarlets hooker McBryde was Gatland's forwards coach during his first stint with Wales while he was also one of his assistants on the 2021 Lions tour. McBryde is currently forwards coach at Leinster and is thought to be under contract with the Irish province.
Thomas, who won 67 caps for Wales and was part of the 2005 and 2008 Grand Slam-winning squads, is currently a forwards consultant at Ealing Trailfinders while he was previously head coach at Worcester Warriors.
Steve Tandy is another coach who is admired by Gatland and was considered as an option to replace Pivac. But sources in Scotland have told Wales Online the 42-year-old is unlikely to leave his current job as Gregor Townsend's assistant until after the World Cup.
With six weeks to go until Wales kick-off their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Cardiff Gatland faces a race against time to finalise his coaching ticket.
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