New name emerges in hunt for successor to Warren Gatland as Wales coach
A new name has emerged as one of the favourites to succeed Warren Gatland as Wales head coach.
As the WRU begin the search for arguably the most important appointment in recent history, New Zealander Brad Mooar has been installed as second favourite by bookies to be appointed to the role.
The former Scarlets head coach, who is currently assistant coach at New Zealand side Crusaders, has occupied various international positions both with the All Blacks and Scotland.
The 50 year old is obviously new strangers to Wales after his stint at the helm of the Scarlets and is highly thought of in world rugby circles.
Wales are searching for a new head coach after Warren Gatland’s second spell in charge came to an end.
Gatland presided over a record 14 successive Test-match defeats, with Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations loss in Italy the final straw.
These are the other contenders in the frame to take over as Wales coach.
Franco Smith
Quietly-spoken South African Smith has Welsh connections, having played for Newport during a career that also saw him win nine caps for the Springboks.
A former head coach of Italy, he has enjoyed considerable success in his current role at Glasgow, which was highlighted when they won the United Rugby Championship title last season after a stunning victory over the Bulls in South Africa.
An impressive man-manager, his approach could be just what the Welsh Rugby Union needs at such a testing time on and off the pitch.
Simon Easterby
Easterby is currently standing in for Andy Farrell as Ireland boss while the latter takes charge of the Lions for this summer’s tour to Australia.
The ex-Ireland flanker has been defence coach under Farrell since 2021, having previously acted as forwards coach, and has overseen the team’s 100 per cent start to this season’s Six Nations.
The 49-year-old has strong Welsh links, having captained and then gone on to coach Scarlets during a long association with the region.
Michael Cheika
The 57-year-old no-nonsense Australian has an impressive track record, leading his home nation to the 2015 World Cup final and then reaching the 2023 World Cup semi-finals with Argentina.
A former World Rugby coach of the year, Cheika is the only coach to have won major club competitions in each hemisphere – with Leinster (European Cup) and New South Wales Waratahs (Super Rugby).
He is currently in charge at Gallagher Premiership side Leicester, but is set to leave at the end of the season after deciding not to extend his contract.
Shaun Edwards
It is still a mystery to many how Lancastrian Edwards – one of the most decorated players in rugby league history – was lost to Welsh rugby in 2019.
As Wales defence coach during Gatland’s success-laden first spell, he was a huge influence on that era and became a global leader in his specialist field.
Edwards took the reins as France defence coach in 2020, and his impressive portfolio includes a coaching role on the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He would be a bold choice, but also a popular one.
Steve Tandy
Scotland’s current defence coach is among the bookmakers’ favourites to succeed Gatland.
Although the 45-year-old Welshman has never been an international head coach, he has impressed in a variety of roles.
Welsh region the Ospreys were crowned PRO12 title winners with Tandy in charge and he has done outstanding work with Scotland as a key member of Gregor Townsend’s coaching team, which was recognised when Gatland put him in charge of defence for the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa. He cannot be discounted.
Matt Sherratt
Cardiff head coach Sherratt will take charge for Wales’ remaining three Six Nations games against title favourites Ireland, Scotland and England.
Sherratt became Cardiff boss in 2023 but has also been attack coach and coached at the Ospreys, Bristol and Worcester.
Sherratt will return to Cardiff after the Six Nations but, should he oversee an upturn in fortunes, may well find himself among the contenders. “Our intention is to have a permanent appointment in place before this summer’s two-Test tour to Japan, with all options open,” said the WRU in a statement.
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It’s all good the WRU plucking names out of thin air, but any new Wales coach , although he’ll bring new ideas to the table, will still have the same players base , failing regional rugby system and WRU hierarchy to deal with. Will he have the ability to change how those at the top run Welsh rugby? If not, what will change. It’s akin to papering over the cracks.
So they want to replace Gatland with a lesser Kiwi associated with the failing Scarlets franchise – like they did last time!
Forget the Man Utd ‘just change the coach’ farce, they’ve done it 10 times without any improvement. Like Utd we need a total wipe-out of the English at the top of the WRU.
When Brad Mooar was in charge of the scarletts the team were playing excellent the scarletts allowed him to leave to go with the New Zealand set up and in their wisdom appointed Dwayne Peel and that’s where the scarletts went down hill 17 losses in all competitions out of 20 games how he is still in charge at the scarletts no one knows
Shouldn’t the whole WRU resign first. Then a decent choice would emerge from a better qualified board!
But Agent Abigail was appointed from England and is now telling us to ignore her (played 13 lost 13) record as she “shouldn’t be judged on results until 2029”!
List of 10 Manchester United managers in 10 years since one long successful manager, making the ignorant ignore the Glaziers in charge but hiding in the background. I wonder how many equivalents Agent Abigail can shuffle in front of her to avoid blame for her ongoing disaster.
Alex Fergyson. Warren Gatland
David Moyes. Matt Sherratt.
Ryan Giggs. ………..
Luis van Gaal. ………..
Jose Mourinho. ……….
Ole Gunner Solksjaer. ………..
Michael Carrck.
Ralf Rangnik.
Erik Ten Haag.
Ruud van Nistelroy.
Ruben Anhorim.
How about Eddie Jones , must have some Welsh heritage with that surname.
The problem ain’t Gatland, it’s the management of the WRU & it won’t be solved by having only two regions – the bigger you make the regions the less affinity supporters have for them. The ex civil servant CEO needs to go & a return to grass roots rugby, the regions don’t work for Wales, they might work in other nations. I suspect things will be s**t for a long long time .