Gatland to get Lions call

Warren Gatland’s appointment as head coach of the 2013 British and Irish Lions is set to be confirmed in September.

Gatland, who coached Wales to the World Cup semi-finals last autumn, will become the second New Zealander to lead the Lions on tour after Graham Henry 11 years ago. As was the case with Henry, Gatland’s task will be to mastermind a Test series triumph over Australia Down Under.

Wales’ double Six Nations title and Grand Slam-winning supremo would have been confirmed in the Lions role earlier this year. But matters were put on hold while he recovered from fractures to both his heels after he fell at his holiday home in New Zealand’s Waikato region.

“We still haven’t signed anything yet, but it’s very close,” Gatland told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“And if I do take the position I will be seconded to the Lions for 10 months, but they’ve allowed me to be involved in the All Blacks Test [against Wales] for that week, and the Australian week.”