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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Steffan Thomas

Warren Gatland's backroom team: Who stays, who is axed and the names waiting in the wings

Warren Gatland arrives in Wales next week to start his planning for the Six Nations.

At the top of his agenda will be putting together a team of assistant coaches to aid him in his quest to make Wales competitive at next year's Rugby World Cup.

Does he stick with Wayne Pivac's backroom team or does he wield the axe and bring in fresh faces?

WalesOnline takes an in-depth look at the questions facing Gatland.

Stephen Jones (attack coach)

Out of all of Pivac's assistants it is Jones' future which will come under the most scrutiny. When he was appointed it was met with widespread approval after he helped Pivac coach the Scarlets to a thrilling PRO12 title and a Champions Cup semi-final.

READ MORE: Shaun Edwards tells Gatland the first person he should appoint and predicts he's 'on the phone to him'

Jones was elevated to the national squad because of the expansive style of rugby he adopted in Llanelli, and it was hoped he could help transfer that to the national side. But it hasn't worked, with Wales' attack having stalled under Jones' watch.

That being said, it isn't inconceivable that Gatland will retain the 45-year-old given he worked with him at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Wales will adopt a simpler game plan under Gatland which may suit Jones' coaching methods, but several sources have told WalesOnline Rob Howley is being considered for a comeback.

If that were to pass then Jones' days are numbered.

Verdict: It's not looking great for Jones with Gatland's former lieutenant Howley's name increasingly linked with a return to the national side. It would be a surprise if the former Scarlets playmaker was part of Wales' coaching team for the Six Nations.

Jonathan Humphreys (forwards coach)

The former Scotland forwards coach is another member of Pivac's back-room team who will be sweating. Wales' forwards have been inconsistent under his watch. In his defence, he hasn't got as strong a pool of players to work with as his predecessor Robin McBryde possessed.

However, even taking that into account Wales' set-piece was extremely unreliable under Humphreys and it was rare to see them dominate an opposition pack of forwards. One of Wales' biggest problems under Pivac was their ruck speed which slowed down their whole attacking game.

This fell under Humphreys' remit and Gatland will expect a huge improvement in this area. Gatland has never worked with Humphreys before so it is impossible to say whether the New Zealander rates the former Wales hooker and captain, but he will be looking for big improvements if he does keep him on.

Verdict: Perhaps under Gatland's leadership Humphreys would thrive as a coach but it would be a surprise if Gatland wasn't considering his options given how much importance the Kiwi places on winning the collisions. His former forwards coach McBryde is under contract at Leinster - but contracts can be broken.

Gethin Jenkins (defence coach)

Gatland's success during his first stint as Wales head coach was largely built around the coaching of defensive mastermind Shaun Edwards. With Edwards out of reach for the foreseeable future this is an area Gatland has to get right if he is to stand any chance of recreating past success.

Gatland was a huge fan of Gethin Jenkins as a player, he was a mainstay of his Wales side. It is clear Jenkins has been trying to model Wales' defensive system on what Edwards produced before departing for France. Wales' players were always confused by what style of play Pivac wanted them to adopt and one has to wonder whether the likes of Jones, Humphreys, and Jenkins were on board with the methods of the former Scarlets coach.

Out of all the current back-room team Jenkins is the one who could be a success under Gatland.

Verdict: The smart money is on Jenkins being retained by Gatland. He knows he can work with him, and his method of coaching will be far more effective under the former Chiefs coach. If the budget is there he may look to shift Jenkins to his old role of skills coach, focusing on the breakdown, with Scotland defence guru Steve Tandy a likely target.

Neil Jenkins (skills coach)

Out of all the coaches Jenkins is the safest when it comes to retaining his job. Gatland has huge respect for the former Wales outside-half who was part of his back-room staff for 12 years. Jenkins is hugely respected by the players and is often praised for his man- management skills. He often goes under the radar but is as important to this Wales team as any other coach.

Verdict: Absolutely nailed on to stay.

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