Here are your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, December 17.
Chiefs moving quickly to find Gatland's replacement
The Chiefs are moving swiftly to replace Warren Gatland after the Kiwi returned to coach Wales, with a new assistant coach expected to be appointed before Christmas.
Gatland is now back in New Zealand for the festive period, but will be returning in the new year to take charge of Wales through their Six Nations campaign and the World Cup in France after Wayne Pivac was sacked following the autumn. That brought to an end a three-year spell with the Chiefs in his native New Zealand that didn't exactly go to plan.
After a miserable run as head coach in 2020, Gatland returned following the Lions tour of South Africa in 2021 to take up a different role as director of rugby after Clayton McMillan had impressed in his absence. In addition to that role, Gatland assisted David Hill with defence, while he was in line to work on the lineout for the upcoming season - with McMillan having previously looked after that.
However, now Gatland has returned to Wales, the Chiefs will be looking for further coaching assistance for McMillan - having already brought Paul Feeney onto the ticket. Chiefs chief executive Simon Graafhuis confirmed that a new lineout coach was close to being appointed.
“We’re looking at a few local options... and there’s some good candidates out of that,” he told Stuff. “They haven’t got international experience, but part of our role is how do we grow our people, players, coaches, administrators, through the pathway. So it is an opportunity to give someone a chance.”
However, Graafhius confirmed no one would fill Gatland's role as director of rugby, calling him "irreplaceable" as he defended his record in Hamilton.
“That’s why Wales have gone back to him, he’s pretty special... there’s no short-term fix for that,” he added. “I definitely wouldn’t say it was a flop.
“Gats came back into an environment and inherited a squad which was pretty young.
“Obviously we didn’t do something as well as some of the others with managing Covid, and post-Covid. But I think that actually probably almost highlights the strength of the culture, that the guys actually needed to be together to train to get the best out of them.
“I’d say having Gatty back has been brilliant for us, the connections he’s got, the thinking he’s got. That experience you just cannot get. Did we perform as well as we would have liked post-Covid? No. But we weren’t far off, either.
“But I think it’s almost given us the motivation to get better, too.”
Ulster clash moved behind closed doors
Today's Champions Cup match between Ulster and La Rochelle will be played in Dublin after tournament organisers EPCR said the game could not be played at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.
That decision was made over "concerns over the safety of the playing surface" after several days of icy conditions. The Irish province used covers and heaters in a bid to preserve the playing surface, but the match will now be played behind closed doors in Dublin.
Having been hammered by Sale last weekend in their opening match, they have effectively lost home advantage against the defending champions.
Welsh scrum-half has no regrets
Wales scrum-half Rhodri Williams has no regrets over where his career has taken him, eight years on from his last Test cap.
The Dragons scrum-half has been enjoying his rugby at Rodney Parade, producing some of the best form of a career that has seen spells at the Scarlets and Bristol.
Despite that, Test rugby has not come calling for Williams since the Six Nations clash with Scotland in March 2014. However, he has no regrets that he's not ultimately not added to his three caps.
“Rugby is a rollercoaster, but I’ve not one regret in my career at all, the decisions I’ve made, the clubs I’ve gone to. There isn’t a huge amount I would change,” he said.
“My message to anyone starting out would be just enjoy your rugby and don’t get too bogged down with it.
“It was a long time ago I won my first Wales cap. I do feel a different player now. Naturally you have more of a leadership role as you get older and I quite enjoy that.
“So there is a slight difference with age, but game-wise I didn’t want to lose some of the natural attributes I had. There are times where you get older and you start thinking too much rather than just backing your instinct.
“I do feel like I back my instinct these days. If you see a gap, not hesitating, just go for it. The coaching staff let us express ourselves and back ourselves, so if you make a decision just go with it.
"That is helping and I am pleased with how I am playing at the minute. I want to take this form into the next few weeks now.”
READ MORE:
