Gatland: Lions job is pure speculation
10:57am Thursday 15th May 2008
WALES coach Warren Gatland insists he has received no approach to be a part of the British Lions set-up in South Africa next year.
Ian McGeechan was yesterday confirmed as head coach for the tour, the fourth time he has done the job, but there were no announcements on the rest of the coaching line-up.
Speculation has mounted about a Lions dream team' of McGeechan, Shaun Edwards and Gatland, who have all enjoyed success with Wasps, but, McGeechan apart, the Lions management have been tight lipped.
Gatland, who memorably coached Wales to the Grand Slam this season, remains in the dark about any possibility of being involved, though Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis has put it on record that they didn't want him to do the main job for fear of it impacting on his role with Wales.
"It's all speculation, I've had no approach, no-one has asked me," said Gatland after naming the Wales squad for the two Tests in South Africa next month.
"I've had no telephone call and if there was one it should go through the WRU, but no-one has contacted me or them."
Asked whether he would pass on any tips to McGeechan about the Springboks, Gatland said that the Lions coach was doing his own recce out there for the Wales tour.
Gatland revealed he really put the Welsh squad through their paces in Ireland last week at the pre-tour training camp.
"The players worked incredibly hard in Ireland when we took them to a new level, one they hadn't been to before and it showed them that there is another level they are capable of," he said.
"There will be no pressure on us in South Africa. Wales have never won there, but it will tell me where we are, how much we have improved and how good we were in the Six Nations.
"We have got to work harder and we are prepared to do that. We've got to get a benchmark as to where we are and it will also give me a chance to find out about other players.
"South Africa won't be at their best either, they've only been together for a short while, they've got a new coach and some players are not available, so it throws up a lot of exciting possibilities.
"It's about earning respect, respecting the jersey, but the players have delivered so far and I don't think it'll be any different in South Africa.
"I'm hugely excited about going out there, I know how hard it's going to be, I'm not sure New Zealand would agree to playing two Tests in a row on the high veld.
"It's exciting with their tradition and history and we go there with a certain amount of trepidation."
Wales squad: backs -Morgan Stoddart, Andrew Bishop, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams, Tom James, Mark Jones, Sonny Parker, Tom Shanklin, Stephen Jones, James Hook, Andy Williams, Warren Fury, Gareth Cooper.
Forwards - Ryan Jones (captain), Dafydd Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Delve, Bradley Davies, Ian Evans, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Gough, Duncan Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Huw Bennett