Warren Gatland leaves post as Wales head coach

Warren Gatland has left his role as Wales head coach by mutual agreement following a record run of 14 successive Test match defeats.

The Welsh Rugby Union confirmed Gatland’s departure on Tuesday, just 72 hours after Wales suffered a debilitating Six Nations loss to Italy in Rome.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt will take charge for Wales’ remaining three Six Nations games, starting with the match against title favourites Ireland on 22 February, and then followed by Scotland and England, the WRU said.

“The WRU and Warren have agreed that making this change now is in the best interests of the Wales squad as it continues to compete in the 2025 Six Nations tournament,” said Welsh Rugby Union CEO Abi Tierney.

“We are grateful to Warren for all he has done for the game in Wales. He remains our longest-serving and most decorated head coach in terms of the silverware he has won.

“Matt Sherratt takes over at a pivotal time. It is a credit to him that he has not hesitated to answer Wales’s call and is also testament to the strong relationship that now exists throughout the Welsh professional game that Cardiff Rugby are fully supportive of the move.

“Matt will return to Cardiff Rugby after the Six Nations in order to concentrate his efforts on what is already a promising campaign for our capital club.

“Our intention is to have a permanent appointment in place before this summer’s two-Test tour to Japan, with all options open.”

Speaking to reporters at Wales’ training base, Sherratt said he “couldn’t turn down” the opportunity.

“It is going to be very difficult to change a huge amount technically and tactically in what will probably be three or four sessions before we play Ireland.

“I am probably at the stage of my career when it’s important to me that people want to come and enjoy watching a team play – not at the expense of losing, that’s really important – but i want players to go out and be brave, and if there is a 50-50 on then take a brave option.

“I was sat on my sofa at eight o’clock last night and Huw’s (WRU interim performance director Huw Bevan) name came up on my phone. I can’t repeat what I said when I saw his name come up.

“To have the opportunity to be senior coach of a fantastic rugby nation and a group of players and staff I know pretty well is something I couldn’t turn down.

“It was a surprise. And there is obviously a harder side to this with someone of a class coach like Warren, who has given so much to Welsh rugby.

“It will be until the end of the Six Nations. I’ve signed a contract with Cardiff. Cardiff is my first head coach job.

“There will probably be a couple of mistakes along the way. I am learning. But it’s not something I will be putting my name forward for.

“I would like to do it for the rest of the Six Nations and help the squad and do my best for Welsh rugby but then I will be back to Cardiff to try and turn that around there.”

Englishman Sherratt, who became Cardiff head coach in 2023, had previously been on the coaching staff at the Ospreys, Bristol and Worcester.

Sherratt, who said he will be “on YouTube tomorrow” learning the Welsh national anthem, will report for Wales squad duty next Monday after taking charge of Cardiff’s United Rugby Championship game against Connacht two days earlier.

Gatland had found himself behind the eight-ball following opening Six Nations games that produced a 43-0 drubbing by France and 22-15 loss to Italy, which was Wales’ first defeat in Rome for 17 years.

Wales are not expected to remotely trouble Ireland in their next game, and they will arrive there from a new World Rugby-rankings low of 12th, having been overtaken by Georgia.

In a statement released by the WRU, Gatland said: “We have worked hard, we have a talented young squad that is developing and have been desperate to turn potential into results, but now is the right time for a change.”

On Gatland, WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said there had been no settlement with him, and added: “We caught up after the game, and he phoned me and said ‘can we have a conversation’, so we had a conversation and we reached a mutual agreement that this was the best time and the best interest of Welsh rugby for him to finish his role.

“I think it was important for the team, the management team and the Welsh public that we will make that change even though, ideally, we didn’t want to make it in the middle of the tournament. It is still the right decision.”

Attention has alrerady turned to Gatland’s long-term successor, with names like Franco Smith, Simon Easterby and Michael Cheika already being linked with the job.

“My phone hasn’t stopped this morning, people reaching out who are interested,” Tierney added.

“I am not underestimating where we are, but for a lot of ambitious coaches the idea of actually coming into this position and making a difference and turning something around is clearly very attractive.

“I was being approached before this, and I am confident that we can get a top candidate to come in.”