The highs and lows of Warren Gatland as Wales coach

The New Zealander has won three Grand Slam during his time in Wales.

Published Oct 23, 2019

Warren Gatland has had an eventful time as Wales coach in the dozen years he has been in charge.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the highs and lows of the New Zealander’s reign, which will come to an end after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

The Highs

Twickenham triumph

Few – if any – gave Gatland the chance of a first-up win away to England in the opening week of the 2008 Six Nations Championship, coming just months after the wreckage of Wales’ World Cup campaign which had seen them lose to Fiji and fail to make the knockout stage. Even less so when Wales trailed 19-6 with nearly an hour played. But Wales stormed back to win 26-19 for a first Twickenham triumph since 1988 – and would go on to claim Grand Slam glory.

Southern comfort

Australia v Wales – Pool D – 2019 Rugby World Cup – Tokyo Stadium — Hadleigh Parkes scores as Wales beat Australia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan (Adam Davy/PA)

Record-breakers

Wales v Ireland – Guinness Six Nations – Principality Stadium — Wales’ third Grand Slam success under Warren Gatland in 2019 extended their winning streak to a record 14 games (David Davies/PA)

The Lows

Irish revenge

Rugby Union – RBS Six Nations Championship 2009 – Wales v Ireland – Millennium Stadium — Ireland won the 2009 Grand Slam in Gatland’s Cardiff backyard (David Jones/PA)

World Cup pain

Rugby Union – Rugby World Cup 2011 – Semi Final – Wales v France – Eden Park — Skipper Sam Warburton was sent off as Wales lost the 2011 World Cup semi-final to France (David Davies/PA)

Blackwash

Wales v New Zealand – Autumn International – Principality Stadium — New Zealand continued to dominate fixtures with Wales in the Gatand era (David Davies/PA)