Patrick McKendry: Why the return of Warren Gatland to New Zealand rugby is no laughing matter

Look who's back. Warren Gatland returns to New Zealand after 11 years abroad. Photo / Photosport

COMMENT:

So it's welcome back then to Warren Gatland, a man set to be the next head coach of the Chiefs and whose last flourish in New Zealand, in a rugby sense anyway, was to wear a clown's nose to a press conference at Eden Park after his British & Irish Lions team somehow drew the final test and series against the All Blacks.

It really was a case of having the last laugh in 2017 for Gatland, who felt he was the subject of several personal attacks from the New Zealand media, and in particular the Herald, during the tour which finished very strangely, and not necessarily because of what he was wearing on his face.

Strange because it was one of the first times ever that a referee has changed his mind on a crucial decision in a test; Romain Poite first awarding a penalty and then a scrum to the All Blacks in the final minutes after Ken Owens caught the ball in an offside position near his own posts with the score locked at 15-all.

But life goes on. The All Blacks will never forget it but they've never complained publically about it either and now Gatland, the former All Black and Waikato player, returns home after a long stint abroad (he's coached Wales since 2008) and will presumably be prepared to put his issues with the media – and he also had his moments with the United Kingdom press two years ago - behind him as well. It will be fascinating to see how it plays out.

Kieran Read and Sam Warburton talk to referee Romain Poite during the third test between the All Blacks and the British and Irish Lions in 2017. Photo / Photosport

It will be fascinating too to see how his relationship with New Zealand Rugby develops following a few hiccups over the years and there will be those wondering whether Steve Tew's impending departure as chief executive paved the way for Gatland's return.

Some within NZ Rugby won't forget how Gatland flirted with returning to coach the Chiefs several years ago only to sign on again with Wales – the inference being the former hooker merely wanted to increase his bargaining power with the Welsh Rugby Union.

Colin Cooper resigned as coach of the Chiefs this week - 24 hours before Warren Gatland was named as his successor. Photo / Photosport

And there will be those in the UK looking on with interest as to how Gatland combines his job as Chiefs coach – he replaces Colin Cooper on a four-year deal – with selecting and coaching the Lions on their tour to South Africa in 2021 (he is allowed a break from his Chiefs day-job to do so). That in particular won't be easy and it's fairly obvious even now where the blame will lie in the minds of the press there should the Lions perform poorly.

The upside for the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby is that a talented, if occasionally spikey, coach is returning. The Chiefs, who were poor early this season before a late run to the quarter-finals, will be the beneficiaries in the short-to-medium term, with Gatland now also firmly in the running as a future All Blacks coach.

He won't be Steve Hansen's successor – that is far more likely to be either Ian Foster or Scott Robertson – but the 55-year-old is coming home and presumably for good. He's back in the frame for an All Blacks role and for him that would be the best vindication of all.