Rugby: Gatland factfile

Warren Gatland factfile

1964: Born in Hamilton, New Zealand.

1980s: Represents Waikato 140 times and New Zealand 17 times as back-up to hooker Sean Fitzpatrick.

1989: Stays on in Ireland after the All Blacks tour to join Galwegians as coach and takes them into Division Two of the All Ireland League.

Early 1990s: Returns home to New Zealand for family reasons and coaches Thamas Valley.

1993: Wins the national championship with Waikato, beating Auckland in the final.

1994: Retires as a player at the age of 30.

1996: Returns to Ireland to join Connacht, initially as provincial coach and then as director of rugby.

1998: Leads Connacht to the quarter-finals of the European Conference and assists Brian Ashton as national coach before being appointed as caretaker boss in February following Ashton’s resignation.

1999: Enjoys his first Five Nations Championship success when Ireland beat Wales 29-23 at Wembley. Experiences his biggest disappointment with a 28-24 World Cup quarter-final play-off defeat by Argentina in Lens.

2000: The axe hovers after Ireland’s record 50-18 Championship defeat by England at Twickenham but Gatland rings the changes and an emphatic win over Scotland transforms his season, culminating in a first win in Paris for 28 years.

2001: Six Nations resurgence continues with opening wins over Italy and France until the foot and mouth epidemic intervenes. Hopes of Grand Slam were dashed by surprise defeat in Edinburgh but wins over Wales and England earn Ireland the runners-up spot.