The rugby coach who is the red hot favourite for the Wales job

This is the rugby coach leading the pack as the favourite to become the new Wales head coach.

As the WRU begin the search for arguably the most important appointment in recent history, the front runner in the field newly-installked as the red hot favourite is Pat Lam.

The current Bristol Bears head coach is the 5-2 favourite with Welsh bookmaker Dragonbet to become new Wales head coach.

Born in New Zealand, 56-year-old Lam represented New Zealand in schools and under-21 rugby. He played for Auckland, North Harbour, Crusaders, Newcastle Falcons and Northampton Saints. He also won 25 caps for Samoa, including at the 1991, 1995 and 1999 World Cups, playing number 8.

Since retiring as a player he has coached teams including Samoa, Auckland and Connacht.

Plenty of names have been bandied about as potential targets – Ronan O’Gara, Steve Tandy, Michael Cheika, Shaun Edwards, Simon Easterby, Robin McBryde, Brad Mooar and recent favourite Glasgow Warriors’ head coach Franco Smith.

But pretty much all of those are under contract, complicating the situation further.

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 the team’s Six Nations loss in Italy the final straw.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt stepped in as interim coach for the remaining games and despite some early promise he presided over a disastrous loss to England.

Sherratt had promised “honest feedback” after Welsh rugby hit rock-bottom through the shattering reality of a record humiliation against England.

Sherratt’s three-game stint as interim head coach following the mid-tournament departure of Warren Gatland ended with a 68-14, 10-try defeat at the Principality Stadium.

It was Wales’ heaviest defeat in Cardiff, biggest home or away Six Nations loss, the most points conceded against England and confirmed a second successive wooden spoon.

If that was not enough to digest, then Wales must also reflect on a 17th Test defeat in a row, which is the worst run of results for a tier one nation in rugby union’s professional era.

They have additionally gone two years without a Six Nations win – a run of 11 losses – and not won a home Test match since a 2023 World Cup warm-up victory over England.

Wales do not play again until the first of two Tests against Japan in Kitakyushu on July 5, by which time head coach and director of rugby appointments should be in place.

Whoever takes the reins in those posts faces a Herculean task on and off the pitch as Wales look for a way to climb out of an unholy mess.