Warren Gatland's huge Wales contract makes him third highest-paid coach in the world
Rugby NewsMonday, 05 December 2022 at 18:15
Wayne Pivac has left his position as Wales head coach and will be replaced by his predecessor Warren Gatland.
Gatland will take charge of next year's Six Nations and Rugby World Cup, and potentially the 2027 tournament.
The New Zealanders new contract reportedly costs the WRU £585,000 per year.
Add to this to Wayne Pivac's considerable payoff and the money paid to the Chiefs to release Gatland, we're talking over a million quid.
“I’m very much looking forward to returning to coach Wales,” said Gatland
“This is an opportunity to achieve something with a talented group of players in a country so passionate about rugby. A country which made my family and I so welcome, when we first arrived fifteen years ago, and all the time we were there.
“Our immediate priority is obviously the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and next year’s Rugby World Cup.
“There is little time for sentiment, professional sport is all about preparation, values and results. There will be new challenges as there always is with a change in head coach, but for me the environment, the players and their families will always come first.
“We must prepare to the best of our ability in the time available. We will value and respect each other, we will work hard and, if we get this right together, performances and results will follow.”
The WRU and New Zealand Rugby have reached agreement for Warren Gatland to be released from his existing contract with immediate effect.
As head coach of Wales from 2007 to 2019, he won four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams, and reached the semi-finals of the 2011 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
Gatland was also head coach of the British & Irish Lions on three tours, to Australia in 2013, when they won the Test series 2–1; New Zealand in 2017, when the series was drawn; and South Africa in 2021, losing the series 2–1.
He has previously coached Connacht, Ireland, London Wasps, where he won three Premierships and the Heineken Cup, and Waikato, with whom he won the Air New Zealand Cup.
LIST: 5 highest paid head coaches in world rugby
4. Andy Farrell (Ireland head coach) - £500,000
Farrell received a significant pay boost when he took over from Joe Schmidt following the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
3. Warren Gatland (Chiefs & British & Irish Lions head coach) - £525,000
Gatland is unbeaten in two consecutive tours to Australia and New Zealand as head coach of the Lions, and following today’s appointment becomes only the second person to lead a third tour after Sir Ian McGeechan.
DID YOU KNOW? In 2012 Gatland made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of the UK TV comedy drama Stella
2. Eddie Jones (England head coach) - £750,000
Jones is the highest-paid international coach in the sport and in March agreed to a temporary cut in his reported £750,000 salary, as did CEO Bill Sweeney and other senior staff.
1. Pat Lam (Bristol Bears Director of Rugby) - £800,000
Former Newcastle, Northampton and Samoa back row Lam, 50, will remain at Ashton Gate on a deal until 2023. He first joined the club in 2017 on a mega annual salary of £660,000 and it’s thought his new wage is close to the £800,000 mark, according to RUCK sources.
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