Ton-up Warren Gatland chases a landmark success

He may have been denied a cap as a player, but on Friday Warren Gatland will become only the second coach in rugby history to take charge of 100 Tests.
Gatland could not oust Sean Fitzpatrick for the All Blacks jersey and now only another Kiwi, Graham Henry, stands before him in the list of ‘most-capped’ coaches.
Both former teachers who have led Wales and the British Lions, Gatland and Henry adopted starkly contrasting styles though have both proved remarkable durable.
Key to that success, along with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the game, has been their ability to adapt. Thick skin has also helped.
Gatland does have a Lions series win under his belt but last week failed to emulate Henry’s success over South Africa with Wales. On Friday he reaches his century against the only other major Test nation aside from his home country that he has yet to defeat, Tonga.
Assistant coach Rob Howley has worked with both. He said: “They are very different people but a key ingredient they both have is their technical and tactical knowledge.  They are able to understand the players and look at things from their perspective to look at both sides.
“Sometimes that means coming down on the side of the players and sometimes the coaches, but they treat players as individuals.”
Henry went on to 142 Tests before retiring as a World Cup winner in 2011. Against South Africa last week, Gatland surpassed Eddie O’Sullivan.
It was a significant move. Gatland still feels a deep sense of betrayal towards the man he brought into the national set-up as his assistant only to be ousted in a coup that, he firmly believes, was instigated by O’Sullivan.
Against Argentina yesterday, Gatland overtook Bernard Laporte’ remarkable tally of 98 games in charge of France, a record with one nation.
The question now is how many more games will Gatland oversee? His contract expires after the 2015 World Cup, by which time he will have extended his total to more than 125, and informal talks have already begun with WRU chief executive Roger Lewis over an extension.
Gatland is ineligible for the All Blacks job under current NZRU rules, as he is not coaching one of their franchises and accepts Dave Rennie is favourite for having led Waikato Chiefs to back-to-back Super Rugby titles.
But he has boasted of Wales’ “golden generation” and may be satisfied with the ‘consolation’ of leading the Lions again, in his homeland, in 2017.
Howley said: “I’m thankful he came to Wales.
“Looking from the outside when he was appointed, I had no doubt that Wales were going to be successful under him. He has a very integrated coaching approach and challenges the players, coaches and staff to be better.
“He creates an environment of hard work and intensity which has been critical to the success he, and the teams he has been involved with, have achieved.
“But he also knows when to relax, it’s an important balance.
“Warren is a very personable guy, a player’s coach, but never sits back and rests on his laurels and understands you have to evolve as a coach.
“But the thing you have to have as a coach is to make sure you don’t hide from making tough decisions and the right decisions. Clearly, Warren doesn’t do that.”
MATT LLOYD