Dawson rules Gatland out of England reckoning

Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Gary Dawson does not expect Warren Gatland to succeed Andy Robinson as England head coach.

Gatland has been touted as a possible replacement for Robinson, who is expected to leave the post on Tuesday.

However, Dawson insisted the man who led Waikato to the Air New Zealand Cup this year and has recently been appointed as assistant coach to the Chiefs would reject any advances from the RFU.

Dawson told The Waikato Times: “I’m not expecting him to spring anything on us at all. There’s nothing in this story.”

Gatland is still highly regarded in the northern hemisphere after overseeing Wasps’ rise to the pinnacle of European and English rugby, winning three successive Premiership titles and the Heineken Cup in 2004.