Warren Gatland confirms plan to remain as Wales coach until next World Cup

Warren Gatland has confirmed his intention to remain as Wales head coach until the 2027 World Cup, saying he is “excited” about what the future holds for his team.

The New Zealander was reappointed as Wales coach in December last year following Wayne Pivac’s dismissal and went on to guide Wales to the top of Pool C at the World Cup, beating Fiji, Portugal, Australia and Georgia along the way. However, after Wales’ 29-17 loss to Argentina in the quarter-finals on Saturday at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, questions about his future were raised again due to a clause in his contract.

Gatland answered those questions wryly after the match, saying: “Yeah, absolutely, but if the union want to get rid of me, they are completely entitled to do that as well. That’s up to them.”

Wales post-match presser 14-10-2023

Wales post-match presser 14-10-2023

In a press conference alongside Welsh Rugby Union chief Nigel Walker on Wednesday after arriving back in Wales, Gatland reiterated his intention to remain in charge of the team.

“Yes, that’s the plan,” Gatland said when asked whether he will take Wales to the 2027 World Cup in Australia, as reported by WalesOnline.

“We’ve got to look at how we develop our young players like Sam Costelow and Taine Plumtree.

“When you look at the potential of what we’ve got it’s exciting. We can be really excited about what we can achieve over the next four years.”

Gatland did hint at a change to his coaching staff following the World Cup, but whether that happens before Wales’ fixture with the Barbarians in November, or even the Six Nations, is yet to be seen.

“It’s something we’ll talk about,” he said. “Everyone is on different cycles.

“I’ll talk to Nigel and the union about how we go forward. I’ve seen a huge amount of growth in the staff from the Six Nations.

“That’s been extremely positive. The coaches are more comfortable in the pressure cooker environment.”