Rugby: New coach hails Gatland after sudden departure

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New Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan tonight paid tribute to his predecessor Warren Gatland for his efforts in raising the fortunes of the national team.

Gatland’s three-and-a-half-year rein as Ireland coach was brought to a sudden end when contract talks broke down and the IRFU announced he would be leaving with immediate effect, five months before his current deal was due to expire.

The departure of the former All Black hooker comes at a time of buoyancy in Irish rugby, with the provinces enjoying unprecedented success and the national team claiming the runners-up spot in the Six Nations after denying England the Grand Slam.

O’Sullivan, who has been Gatland’s right-hand man for the last two years, steps into the hot seat with a contract that takes him beyond the next World Cup to the end of the 2004 Six Nations Championship.

‘‘It’s a pleasant surprise for me, I have to say,’’ said O’Sullivan, a former maths teacher in the west of Ireland.

‘‘I was happy to be assistant while I was but I had aspirations to become coach at some point and I was hoping some day to get the opportunity.

‘‘Warren did a great job. Everyone realises the progress we’ve made the last couple of years. The rugby we’re playing at the moment is very attractive and quite successful.

‘‘Everybody recognises his contribution. He has taken the team to the level it’s at now.’’

Gatland, who succeeded Brian Ashton in February 1998, had been seeking an extension of his contract to take him through to the 2003 World Cup, where he was hoping to atone for Ireland’s catastrophic defeat by Argentina in France two years ago.

Irish rugby plumbed the depths with that quarter-final extra-time defeat in Lens, followed by a 50-18 hiding by England in the opening Six Nations game.

But Gatland and O’Sullivan transformed Ireland’s fortunes to the extent that team now challenges England’s Northern Hemisphere domination.

And O’Sullivan believes there is more improvement yet to come from the current national team.

‘‘The expectation is that there is more in this team,’’ he said. ‘‘We have reached a certain level. We have to consolidate that and get consistency and push the bar a bit higher if we can.

‘‘I had a free rein with the backs but obviously I have my own ideas on the overall context of how we play the game and there will be some adjustments. I hope to put my own imprint on the style of rugby we play.’’

Much of the credit for the renaissance of the Irish team has been handed to O’Sullivan for his work as backs coach with gifted players such as Brian O’Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey and Rob Henderson.

The ex-Munster and Garryowen player, who worked with the United States in the 1999 World Cup, is a former coach of Blackrock College, Connacht, Ireland Under-21s.

O’Sullivan will be assisted by Munster’s successful mentor Declan Kidney but he may decide to appoint a specialist forwards coach.

‘‘Declan and myself have similar backgrounds,’’ he said. ‘‘We both would be seen as specialist backs coaches but I’ve quite a lot of experience with the forwards as well. I coached the American Eagles forwards for the World Cup and I’ve coached forwards at club level over here.

‘‘At same time, I’ve got the go-ahead from the RFU to bring in other support if I need it, coaches in specialist areas. That’s something I’m looking at that.’’

Gatland, in a statement issued by the IRFU, said: ‘‘I want to thank the players and wish them all the best for the future. I look forward to fulfilling a new challenge in rugby.’’