THE New Zealand influence on Irish rugby at representative level was further strengthened yesterday when Connacht appointed former All Black hooker Warren Gatland as coach to the province's senior team in succession to Eddie O'Sullivan, who resigned on Thursday.
Gatland, who is 36, will be renewing an association with the game in the west as he was player coach to Galwegians for over three seasons after he had toured Ireland and Britain with the All Blacks in 1989-90. Just after that tour he joined Galwegians. He subsequently returned to New Zealand and was a member of the Waikato team that defeated the Lions in Hamilton in 1993.
He enjoyed considerable success with Galwegians, helping the club to win the Connacht Senior League in three successive seasons. Galwegians qualified for the All Ireland league in 1992-93 after being beaten in the play offs for a place the previous season.
With provision having been made by the IRFU for payment to provincial coaches and managers, the branch had been in a position to offer O'Sullivan a contract. Negotiations about the terms of the contract between the branch and O'Sullivan, who had been reappointed coach at the end of last season, had been going on for a fortnight.
O'Sullivan was not, however, satisfied with some elements of the contract in particular, I gather, about the its length. Last minute attempts to resolve the issue failed and he confirmed his resignation on Thursday afternoon. O'Sullivan, a teacher, saw it as a full time job. As well as security of tenure he wanted other guarantees. The Branch could not meet these.
That left Connacht without a coach on the eve of their departure to Sweden for a two match tour. Assistant coach Michael Cosgrave was put in charge and then, on Thursday night, Gatland's name was suggested. Contact was made with him by telephone at his home in New Zealand by the chairman of the Connacht selectors, Billy Glynn.
After six hours of considering the matter and consulting with his family, Gatland agreed verbally to take over the coaching role for the next three months. In fact the timing is ideal for Gatland, who coaches in New Zealand, where the season is coming to an end. He is expected to join up with the Connacht party in Stockholm on Monday, the day before the first match against the Swedish national team.
Connacht officials are adamant that there was absolutely no contact with Gatland before O'Sullivan's resignation which, up to Thursday, the branch felt would be averted.
Gatland will be with the side until the end of November and will prepare Connacht for the Interprovincial Championship, their matches in the European Conference competition and the match against Australia.
With New Zealander Murray Kidd coaching the national team and Gatland's old All Black team mate Mike Brewer having been called in to help out with Ireland's last squad sessions - a task performed for last season's championship by John Mitchell another All Black and former Waikato team mate of Gatland the New Zealand influence in Irish representative rugby is pronounced.
