Minding the future

Former Irish coach Warren Gatland is better placed than most to evaluate the Six Nations clash at Twickenham and the domestic furore over the future of club rugby. He spoke to Barry Coughlanin London yesterday.

FORMER Irish coach Warren Gatland yesterday unveiled his own blueprint for the future of Irish club rugby and insisted that top teams need a national division to help the game prosper here.

Gatland, happily ensconced at Wasps after a bitter departure from the Irish coach’s job two years ago, is emphatic that the IRFU is going down the wrong road with a proposed move back to provincial/national club rugby. He also believes the IRFU should make every effort to appease Irish assistant coach Declan Kidney and keep him in the national coaching system at whatever cost.