Welsh rugby: Who could replace Warren Gatland as next Wales head coach?
2025-02-12
Category: sports

As Welsh rugby comes to terms with the sudden departure of Warren Gatland, the  search is on to replace the most successful coach in its history.This will be the first appointment by Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney and the pressure is on to get it right.Welsh rugby, she admits, is at a low ebb and while the problems run deeper than the head coach, the feel-good factor starts - or ends - with the national team.Despite the side's lowly position, the WRU firmly believes the job remains appealing to one of the big-name coaches of world rugby.And the belief that - surely - the only way is up, could prove tempting.Cardiff's Matt Sherratt will steer Wales through the remainder of the Six Nations but has already ruled himself out of the job long term.The WRU want the new boss to lead the tour to Japan in July and are also looking for a new director of rugby to replace Nigel Walker.So who could ultimately replace Gatland?
Simon Easterby
The interim Ireland boss will be the next coach aiming to pile more misery on Wales when the teams meet in Cardiff on 22 February.But Easterby has emerged as one of the WRU's top targets for the job.The Yorkshire-born Irishman has a deep-rooted connection to Wales, not least given he still lives in the Vale of Glamorgan with his TV presenter wife Sarra Elgan Rees, as well as 15 years as a player and then coach at Llanelli Scarlets.The WRU will hope that could be enough to prise him away from the Ireland set-up where he has been so well regarded during the past 11 mostly successful years.A top Test job would appeal but does he have one eye on ultimately succeeding Andy Farrell at Ireland where he is chasing a Six Nations title?
Franco Smith
Smith is regarded as among the shrewdest head coaches around but gained real recognition after leading Glasgow Warriors to a shock United Rugby Championship title last season.The well-travelled 52-year-old former centre also has a connection to Wales having spent a season as a player at Newport - as well as scoring 13 points against Wales for the Springboks at Wembley.Since then he has coached in South Africa as well as at Test level with Italy for two seasons.But he would surely be in the reckoning with Scotland should Gregor Townsend opt to move on.
Michael Cheika 
He was the coach that began Wales' recent misery and emerged as an early favourite for the post.The Australian led Argentina to victory in their 2023 World Cup quarter-final in Marseille and Wales have lost every game since.Cheika, 57, is a loud, brash and colourful character who has also had success in taking Australia to a World Cup final and Leinster to the European title.He is understood to be keen on the Wales job having confirmed he will leave Leicester Tigers at the end of the season. But has also ruffled plenty of feathers during his extensive travels and five different jobs in six years suggests he may not be the long-term solution the WRU is seeking.
Brad Mooar
The New Zealander could follow an illustrious line of Kiwis to lead Wales following Graham Henry, Steve Hansen, Wayne Pivac and Warren Gatland.Mooar is back at Crusaders where he made a name for himself under Scott Robertson as part of an all-conquering Super Rugby side.He also has Test experience having worked as a number two at Scotland, Argentina and New Zealand so could be ready for the top job.And he has previously shown an appetite for Welsh rugby having taken the Scarlets job - cut short by the All Blacks offer - where he still hugely respected.
Stuart Lancaster
Michael Cheika is also in the running to succeed Stuart Lancaster at Racing 92 after the ex-England coach left the Paris club earlier this month.Lancaster built a reputation for developing young players, not least by taking England to three successive Junior World Championship finals, as well placing currency on culture.He was brought in to lead England after the squad's controversial behaviour at the 2011 World Cup but was dumped out of a home tournament four years later - partly by Wales.
Other contenders
Since Dennis John led the disastrous tour of South Africa in 1998 following the resignation of Kevin Bowring, Wales has only been led by a Welshman for four of the next 27 years.So could a Welsh coach become the first national coach since Gareth Jenkins in 2007?Former Wales wing Mark Jones has made a rapid rise through the ranks from assistant coach, to the Wales Under-20s and now the top job at Ospreys.Steve Tandy has earned a solid reputation as defence coach at Scotland and current forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys may pitch to step up. Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson spent most of his early career in Wales, including third place with the under-20s at the Junior World Cup. Shaun Edwards is hugely popular among Wales fans following his time under Gatland between 2008 and 2019 while former Wales prop Chris Horsman backed ex-England fly-half and Ireland attack coach Mike Catt."He's won a World Cup as a player, Grand Slams as a coach and look what he's done for the Ireland attack over the past five years," said Horsman."That's what we're crying out for to give Wales an identity."