All Blacks coach chides Warren Gatland: If you hate the job, dont do it

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. Photo / Photosport

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen reckons Warren Gatland is in the wrong job after the British and Irish Lions coach confessed to hating this years tour of New Zealand.

Long-serving Wales coach Gatland raised eyebrows last week when he said he hated the pressure and negative media coverage he believes was directed his way during the 10-match tour of his home country in June and July.

The comments were met with incredulity by Hansen in an interview with Radio Sport.

"Why would you hate coaching the Lions? If you hate coaching, dont do it. I love coaching any team Ive been involved in - thats the reason Im doing it," he said.

He said the intense focus on Gatland during the tour was no different to what he faces all the time with the world champions.

"Welcome to our world. You are under constant pressure, constant scrutiny. People expect you to be able to front up and do the job well.

"In the All Blacks case, we are expected to win every test match and win it well."

Gatland said he wont coach the Lions again despite enjoying success in two tours.

"He won in Australia four years ago and squared this years series, just the second time the Lions have avoided defeat in New Zealand."

Gatland was under further pressure yesterday, saying he had been subjected to unfair criticism over the Rhys Webb saga which is dominating Welsh rugby.

Gatland has named the Ospreys halfback in a 36-man squad for the end-of-year tests even though Webb will be ineligible to represent Wales once he joins French heavyweights Toulon next season - a move which potentially also rules him out of 2019 World Cup contention.

A change to the Welsh Rugby Unions senior player selection policy, which was announced last week, prevents players who sign new deals to ply their trade outside Wales from representing their country unless they have won 60 caps or more. Webb is considerably under that 60-cap mark.

"There was a lot of criticism of myself over this, and I felt that was unfair," Gatland said.

New Zealander Hadleigh Parkes is one of five uncapped players Gatland's 36-man squad but he wont face the All Blacks.

The 30-year-old midfield back, who played Super Rugby for the Blues, South Africas Kings and the Hurricanes in successive seasons before leaving for Welsh club Scarlets in late 2014, will become available under the three-year residency rule in time for the final test on December 2 against the Springboks. A week earlier, Wales host the All Blacks in Cardiff.

And unwanted All Blacks winger Julian Savea will play against his country for the Barbarians, sprinkling spice on the match at Twickenham on November 4.

His involvement was announced with glee on the Barbarians Twitter account: "As unstoppable as a semi-detached house strapped to a rocket."