Gatland sent Christmas card to get back in BOD good books

Warren Gatland has revealed he attempted to resolve his falling-out with Brian O’Driscoll by sending the Irishman a Christmas card in which he asked the centre to ensure he got a good reception at the Aviva Stadium on February 8.

Gatland found himself at the eye of a storm after making the decision to drop O’Driscoll for the Lions’ decisive Third Test in Australia last July.

O’Driscoll had never previously been dropped in his four Lions tours, and there was strong criticism for Gatland’s decision to play Jonathan Davies at outside centre.

That decision was vindicated as his side went on to secure the series with a comprehensive 41-16 victory in Sydney, but both men admitted the furore had tainted the experience for them.

They will face each other for the first time since Sydney when Gatland brings his Wales side to Dublin in the second game of the Six Nations, but the New Zealander has attempted to play down the dispute, saying it was resolved over the holiday period when they exchanged Christmas cards. And the 50-year-old insisted there was nothing ‘anti-Irish’ in his decision to drop O’Driscoll, claiming he owes the country a huge amount having begun his coaching career with Galwegians before moving on to take charge of Connacht and the Irish national team.

“Brian gave me a Christmas card at [a reception at] Downing Street after the Lions thing,” said Gatland. “Donnacha Ryan rang me up and asked me to send Brian a Christmas card as a joke from the Irish boys. So I sent him a Christmas card and I wished him well for his family for Christmas — and I did ask that if he had any influence [to ask] that the Irish fans didn’t boo me too much in the Aviva Stadium.

“I made a bit of a joke about it so hopefully it is water under the bridge now, it’s gone. We made that decision and hopefully people can move on.”

But Gatland acknowledged the issue is likely to be raised again in the week of the Test. He added: “It will put an extra twist on the game as people will try and make something out of it, as they always do. It’s easy for me to ignore it, it’s whether you guys in the press ignore it. A lot of people tried to make a big thing about the Irish situation. At the end of the day I made — or we as coaches made — what we felt was the right decision.

“I keep saying to people that selection is a matter of opinion. A lot of people tried to insinuate it was an anti-Irish thing but I am incredibly indebted to the opportunities that Ireland gave me in my rugby career in terms of starting off in club rugby with Galwegians, coaching Connacht, and having a chance as a 34-year-old to be an international coach.

“I am incredibly grateful to those chances that Ireland gave me and the friends I made over there. I am really looking forward to going back.”