Warren Gatland leaves Wales head coach role with replacement confirmed for rest of Six Nations

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Despite being contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the Welsh Rugby Union has confirmed that Warren Gatland has left his role by mutual consent. 

Now interim head coach Matt Sherratt will take over for the remainder of the 2025 Six Nations before returning to Cardiff Rugby after the tournament. He takes charge of the remaining fixtures in this year's Championship, which include Ireland, Scotland and England. 

Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Gatland reached out to Abi Tierney on Monday to discuss the future of Welsh Rugby. 

He said: "I would like to thank the WRU Board for the faith shown in me after a tough campaign throughout 2024 and for affording me the time and resources to try to turn things around for this 2025 tournament."

The newly appointed interim head coach was called on Monday evening around 8 pm. Before attending this monumental press conference, he was coaching Cardiff Rugby this morning and afternoon as they build up to their clash with Connacht in the United Rugby Championship before rushing over to the Vale Resort (WRU HQ) to speak to the press. 

Scroll down for the five main talking points from both Sherratt and Abi Tierney. 

1: "I sprinted off the training pitch to come here"- Sherratt on the call-up 

As previously mentioned, Sherratt still has responsibilities with Cardiff before taking on this new role. He will enter the training camp on Monday morning and have just four sessions with the Welsh Squad before the Ireland encounter at Principality Stadium. 

"Genuinely, I found out at 8 pm last night," admitted Sherratt. 

"I had two meetings with Cardiff today and sprinted off the training pitch to come here.

"I'll be honest, it feels a bit like how I started with Cardiff. They were at a low ebb. It'll be about mindset.

"It'll be hard to change things tactically. But we can get a mindset shift. It doesn't matter what tactical stuff you put on the pitch if there's a lack of belief or fear.

"The first step is that the players are really excited to take the field."

2: Tierney on Gatland's departure – "It's in the best interest of Welsh Rugby"

Also at the head table for this afternoon's press conference was WRU CEO Abi Tierney, who began by expressing her thanks to Gatland for everything that he has done for Welsh Rugby and also asked the Welsh public to get behind Sherratt for the remainder of the tournament. 

"I just wanted to begin by saying a huge thank you to Warren Gatland and his contribution to Welsh rugby," Tierney said. 

"A huge thank you to Matt Sherratt. I spoke to him last night, and we're delighted to have him on board.

"It was mutual, he (Gatland) phoned me. We catch up after games. We had a conversation and decided it was best for him to finish his role.

"There was a mounting sense that it wasn't working and that something had to change. Warren has always felt he was the right man. It was really important we made that change."

3: Matt Sherratt openly admitted he doesn't want the role long-term

This is the third time a Wales head coach has left in the middle of the Six Nations following Graham Henry (2002) and Mike Ruddock (2006). With Sherratt not being the permanent coach for the future, Tierney explained that they are looking for a successor to Gatland before the Summer Tour to Japan.

Some of the long-term successors are Former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow coach Franco Smith and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby. 

"We've started, but we're not close," said Tierney.

"I don't think there's one single criteria that will fit. We're not ruling anybody out at this stage.

"I do think you'd want your Director of Rugby in first. 

"But I wouldn't want to miss out on a stand-out coach before we have a Director of Rugby. Ideally, we'll have a Director of Rugby, even if they're not in position.

"The money is there to get someone and it's in our financial plan to do so. It won't be chosen on cost.

"In terms of characteristics, Matt was the obvious choice for an interim coach. Someone who can work collaboratively across the ecosystem and lift a young team will be important. Someone who has experience of winning," added Tierney.

4: Tierney on where Welsh Rugby is at the moment 

"We've got a strategy. We're very close to signing a PRA. That's 95 per cent of it.

"I could have done the new deal by imposing on the clubs. But I've been able to phone up Cardiff and ask for their help. The trust still has a long way to go, but it's better than it has been. The effort behind the scenes.

"I can understand because they care passionately about the game. But when I speak to ex-players, there's always an understanding it's been a long time coming.

"I think there's a crisis in rugby globally with what we're seeing with TV rights and the fanbase. We're competing with other sports. It's not just a Welsh challenge.

"It's a small country so it feels that volatility. It's why the strategy is so important. We've got to attract new fans and build stars that people want to watch."

5: Sherratt's thoughts on the remainder of the Six Nations

"When you think of players in a dressing room, I've been in the game 20 years, guys I've worked with – they want to win. If I go in there and speak about trying our best, you've lost the room immediately.

"We go out to win every game, same as at Cardiff. It'll be about changing mindset.

"I've learned you've got to be yourself. I've learned to play the game the way I want. I want players to be brave and take 50/50 calls. Sometimes the opposition are further down the line than us.

"I'm not going to come in and overthink it. I'm pretty set on how I like to play. It won't be any different to what I do at Cardiff.

"That's what I believe in. I do think we've got a duty that people enjoy watching rugby. I took my boy to watch three games last year. I took him to a Liverpool game and he loved it. A cricket game and he loved it. And a rugby game and he asked to leave after 50 minutes.

"I'm at that stage of my career where it's important to me that people enjoy watching a team. Not at the expense of losing, but let's take the brave option," concluded Sherratt.

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