- Wales was beaten 22-15 by Italy at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday afternoon
- This defeat was their 14th consecutive in a hot race under Warren Gatland
- Gatland, from New Zealand, should now leave his role as head coach
Warren Gatland is expected to leave his role as head coach of Wales with immediate effect after a series of 14 consecutive international defeats.
Official confirmation of the new-zélancher evolving is likely to come from the Welsh Rugby Union at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Gatland’s second passage in the most important work in Welsh Rugby saw his team deliver the worst sequence of defeats in the history of the country, the last overthrow being a 22-15 round-two nations in the hands of Italy to Rome last weekend.
Mail Sport understands that on the back of this game Stadio Olimpico, Gatland and the Wru will now separate from mid-championship.
This means that the CEO of WRU, Abi Tierney and President Richard Collier-Keywood, will now have to find a new coach for the remaining matches of the Six Nations in 2025 with Ireland, Scotland and England.
The current head coach of Leicester Tigers Michael Cheika, Franco Smith from Glasgow and Simon Easterby – in charge of Ireland for these six nations – all interest the WRU hierarchy in the longer term, but none will be able to assume the role of the rest of the rest other six nations.
Wales’ head coach Warren Gatland is expected to leave his role after 14 consecutive defeats
Wales was beaten 22-15 by Italy on Saturday and it turned out to be Gatland’s final straw
The second passage from Gatland with Wales saw his team deliver his worst sequence of defeats in history
The demoralizing defeat of Wales in Rome this weekend came after the Gatland team was beaten 43-0 by France in Paris during the opening match of this year.
Gatland won four six-nations titles with Wales during his first passage between 2007 and 2019, over a period which also saw his team reaching two semi-finals of the World Cup.
The Kiwi, who led to the British and Irish lions during their 2013, 2017 and 2021 tours, returned to this role when he replaced Wayne Pivac in December 2022.
However, he could not have a positive impact on the side, Gatland supervising only six victories and 20 defeats on 26 tests, while Wales also dropped in the world in the process.
His departure comes after the former head coach of England and Mail Sport columnist, Sir Clive Woodward, insisted that the `Time is Cove ” from Gatland after the defeat in Italy.
“There is a moment as an international coach when you know that you can no longer do and your time has passed,” said Woodward.
“Gatland has reached this moment with Wales. And I think that basically, he will recognize that to be the case.
“Gatland is a really great coach and his first spell with Wales was strewn with trophies.
The opening evening of the six nations of this year had seen the country of Wales be beaten 43-0 by France
During his first passage between 2007 and 2019, Gatland won four six nations titles
“Gatland’s loyalty to Wales is obvious in the way he sticks to the project. But he will now know that it is time for a new face and a new voice to try to advance the team at the end of these six nations.
“There is also a case for there to be a change of coach now because Wales was even worse in their defeat towards Italy than they were in their hammering 43-0 by the France.”
After failing to win an international in 2024, Gatland survived a WRU exam in his post at the turn of the year to stay in charge for the six nations.
Abi Tierney, director general of Wru, challenged Gatland to bring the country of Wales to more successful times this year. But that just didn’t happen.
More to follow …
