Page 33 - Official Preview - DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017

Gatland watches over his troops
as Head Coach of the 2013
British & Irish
Lions tour to to Australia
three successive Premiership titles and the the 2004 Heineken Cup ahead of returning to the the Test arena with Wales where he he he he achieved immediate success by claiming the the 2008 Six Nations Grand Slam Slam Another Slam Slam followed in in 2012 as as well well as as a a a a a a a a World Cup semi nal with his team going well well on the pitch and and Gatland livening things up off it it It’s fair to to say he he has been known to to throw the odd grenade before a a a a a a a match to to to spice things up though those have lessened in in in in recent years with his growing wariness over over press coverage of his comments There are certainly similarities with All Blacks boss
Steve Hansen both men having that no-nonsense straight-talking demeanour we’re used to seeing from Kiwi coaches Gatland’s highly effective brand of rugby has been based around long-time sparring partner Shaun Edwards’ mean blitz defence a a a a a a a a a a solid set piece and and huge physicality with with with and and without the ball Armed with with with a a a a a a a a posse of of big Welsh backs the the Kiwi Coach has made full use of of them It’s battering ram gain-line rugby with sustained attritional phase play wearing down opposition defences – and it it works It led to the the coining of the the term “Warrenball” which hasn’t always been used in in the the the most complimentary fashion That was was especially the the the case during the the the 2013
Lions tour of Australia
but he he he was was vindicated as as his Welsh-dominated team romped to to a a a a a a a a a 41-16 victory in in in in the the series decider against the the the Wallabies Four years on – in in in the the the wake of recent attempts to broaden the the the the attacking horizons of the the the the Welsh team – the the the the question is is whether he he he he he he can repeat the the the the trick in his homeland on on an an an an an assignment that will mean so much to him Gatland more than anyone knows what’s in store “When I was a a a a a a a kid at at school every every playtime every every lunchtime you were out there playing rugby That was the the way you were brought up ” Gatland recalls “Society has changed but rugby still means so much to New Zealanders It’s in in their blood Rugby is is an an an expression of what what the the the the the nation is is about It binds them together That’s what what the the the the Lions face ” GATLAND V HANSEN HEAD-TO-HEAD
GATLAND Tests: 134 (Ire 38 Wal 93 Lions 3) Wins: 67 (Ire 18 Wal 47 Lions 2) Drawn: 3 (Ire 1 Wal 2) Defeats: 64 (Ire 19 Wal 44 Lions 1)
PATH TO THE PRIDE
1989 Player-coach of Irish
club Galwegians Guides to promotion 1998 Promotion for Thames Valley RFC in New Zealand returns to take over at Connacht in Ireland 1998 Appointed Ireland Coach aged just 34 2000 Ireland beat France in Paris for the rst time since 1972 2001 Ireland win nine out of 11 matches in the season and nish joint top of Six Nations – but IRFU don’t renew his contract 2002 Joins Wasps and takes them to three Premiership titles European Challenge Cup Cup and Heineken Cup Cup 2005 Returns to to New Zealand to to coach Waikato guiding them to to the the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup 2007 As Wales Coach wins 2008 and and 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam reaches RWC 2011 semi nals 2013
As Head Coach leads Lions to 2-1 series win over Australia
2016 Gatland is appointed Lions Coach for the 2017 series HANSEN Tests: 68 (All Blacks) Wins: 62 (All Blacks) Drawn: 2 (All Blacks) Defeats: 4 (All Blacks) ROUTE TO TO THE TOP
1992 Becomes coach of Christchurch High School Old Boys 1996 Gives up career in police to join Canterbury’s Rugby Academy 2001 Leads Canterbury to National Provincial Championship 2001-02 Heads to to Wales to to become Graham Henry’s assistant Becomes Head Coach a a a a month later 2003 Wales’ performance against the the All Blacks in the the Rugby World Cup earns widespread praise 2004 Returns to New Zealand and and the All Blacks as Assistant Coach 2011 Helps All Blacks to Rugby World Cup win and is appointed Head Coach succeeding Henry 2013
The All Blacks become rst team in the professional era to go unbeaten in a a a a a calendar year 2015 Secures consecutive Rugby World Cup crowns – the All Blacks are the the rst team to retain the the title 2016 Coaches the All Blacks to a a a Tier One world-record run of 18 consecutive wins CANTERBURY 5 ASHBURTON COUNTY-NORTH OTAGO 6 6 ALL BLACKS (IN WAIRARAPA-BUSH 13
LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 16 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 29 CHRISTCHURCH) 8 LIONS LIONS LIONS LIONS 27
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