Gatland eyeing Super Rugby job

Wales coach Warren Gatland says he is eyeing a Super Rugby job, and not the All Blacks job when he finishes his contract with Wales after the 2019 World Cup.

The man who led the British and Irish Lions to a series draw in New Zealand this year has pointed out, in an interview with NZME, that he has never actually stated that he wants to be an All Blacks coach.

Gatland, a former All Black himself, has been in charge of Wales since 2007, and is pondering his future as he enters his last couple of years with them.

"I've never said I wanted to be an All Blacks coach," Gatland told Newstalk ZB. "But I think you need to come back and be involved in Super Rugby first, and that's what I would like to do. That would be the natural progression. And if you are successful that's how these things work."

Gatland expects current All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster to be the successor to Steve Hansen, who is contracted till 2019 and is widely assumed to be stepping down at that point.

While having not led a team in Super Rugby before, the 54-year-old was involved with the Chiefs as a technical director in 2006-07.

"I'm finishing with Wales after the World Cup in 2019 and will take a break for a few months, but I would love to do Super Rugby," he said.

"There are not a lot of big jobs in rugby and you have to be in the right place at the right time, but if that opportunity came along to do Super Rugby in 2020 or 2021 that would be great."