Wales look for Warren Gatland stand-in as Lions wait

Warren Gatland‘s almost certain invitation to lead the Lions has led Wales to make the first move towards appointing a caretaker head coach.
Eddie Jones‘ refusal to declare himself a runner has made the 52-year-old Kiwi the odds-on favourite to head the coaching team for the three-Test series against the All Blacks next year.
Two other New Zealanders, Joe Schmidt and Vern Cotter, will be considered for what increasingly appears to be a one-horse race – so much so that Wales have begun drawing up contingency plans for a season without Gatland whose employers have agreed to release him from September.
WRU chairman Gareth Davies told The Rugby Paper:  “We are holding some internal discussions with Warren and other coaches. There have been quite a few conversations on the subject and there will be more to come.
“At this stage we haven’t made any decision. We will probably make one before the Lions make their choice in the summer so if they do request Warren’s release from the start of next season, we shall have a plan in place.”
The Lions’ decision to delay their choice until July at the earliest will enable them to see how Gatland and Schmidt cope with a demanding three-Test series south of the equator – Wales in New Zealand, Ireland in South Africa.
The WRU will almost certainly promote from within with Gatland’s established trio of trusted lieutenants forming the short-list – Rob Howley (45), Shaun Edwards (49) and Robin McBryde (45).
When confronted by the same scenario over Gatland’s appointment by the Lions for their last tour in 2013, the WRU’s plan centred around Howley’s promotion from attack coach to overall charge. He will be seen, therefore, as the next in line.
Forced to take over ahead of schedule after Gatland broke both his heels in a domestic accident, Howley turned a six-match losing run into a winning Six Nations finish. His last match as acting head coach coincided with a victory as famous as any in Welsh history, the unprecedented 30-3 destruction of an England team on the verge of a Grand Slam.
At least one Welsh coach, former wing Mark Jones who filled a national role as backs coach during Gatland’s last Lions absence, believes Howley is the man to step into the breach again.
“Rob has proved he can perform the head coach’s role,” Jones said.  “He is a safe bet, a very smart guy who knows a lot about the game.”
PETER JACKSON