Gatland keen to retain coaching staff

Wales boss Warren Gatland has said he wants to retain his current coaching staff "until at least 2019".

The New Zealand-born head coach has a deal in place for the next four years but defence specialist Shaun Edwards is currently out of contract with attack coach Rob Howley’s and forwards coach Robin McBryde’s contracts both set to expire also next summer. 

Gatland and his senior management staff have already completed their performance review of the 2015 World Cup – where Wales reached the World Cup quarter-finals before bowing out to South Africa – and have established their strategy for Wales’ both immediate and long-term futures.

Wales have enjoyed a string of success with Kiwi Gatland at the helm having won three Six Nations titles - including two Grand Slams – since the head coach’s appointment in 2008 and also reached the 2011 World Cup semi-finals under the New Zealander’s tutelage.

The review concocted by Gatland and other senior members of the WRU spanned fitness and conditioning, medical care, analysis, support staff and coaching, with input from all the current personnel involved with the national team’s coaching setup. 

Gatland has confirmed his full confidence in the current management personnel and indicated his intention to maintain the present coaching team in full.

And he is now managing discussions internally, aimed at ensuring all the current coaches remain in place with Wales.

"We have had an extremely thorough review and I have subsequently spoken to all the coaches, ideally wanting them to stay in place until at least 2019," Gatland said in a statement on the Welsh Rugby Union website.

"I am aware that as a group and as individuals they have all developed strongly over recent years and can accurately be described as world-class.

"I want Wales to continue to benefit from that level of skill and excellence in the years ahead.

"We have already been through a significant change with the departure of our head of physical performance, Adam Beard, shortly before the Rugby World Cup, but Paul Stridgeon has proved an excellent replacement.

"It is very important to balance the need to invigorate and refresh any coaching environment with the desire to achieve continuity within a successful group.

"There has been some unhelpful speculation regarding the future of individuals within the coaching team, and I would therefore ask for privacy and the process to be respected."