Wales coach removed from Gatland's team days before Six Nations in shock announcement
Attack coach Alex King is not part of Wales' Six Nations coaching team for the 2025 Six Nations.
The former England fly-half has been part of Warren Gatland's ticket since the New Zealander returned to the Welsh job at the end of 2022, with his first tournament being the 2023 Six Nations.
Rob Howley will take on the role of attack coach, with it understood King has not been present during Wales' first week of training ahead of their Six Nations opener against France in Paris on January 31.
READ MORE: Gavin Henson's life changes forever after discovery of 'chimp'
READ MORE: Wales centre set to play in back row as raft of players released to clubs
"Head coach Warren Gatland’s coaching team has been finalised for the 2025 Men’s Guinness Six Nations," read a statement from the Welsh Rugby Union. "Adam Jones joins as a scrum consultant on secondment from Gallagher Premiership club Harlequins, he will work closely with forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys.
"Mike Forshaw continues as defence coach, Neil Jenkins is skills coach and Rob Howley is attack coach. Alex King will not be involved with the coaching team for the Championship."
It's understood that King, who also had a stint coaching Wales under Howley in 2017 while Gatland was on secondment with the Lions, had become increasingly marginalised within Wales camp following the return of Howley at the start of last year.
The former Wales scrum-half had been approached to re-join Gatland's coaching staff in 2023, but the move was blocked by the Welsh Rugby Union.
However, Howley did return the following year - coaching the breakdown as well as having a link with the U20s and development pathway.
As the year has progressed, Howley has become more involved in the attack - with former Wales breakdown coach Gareth Williams having been present on the summer tour of Australia and in the autumn campaign as part of his personal development.
King leaves the coaching team on the back of a calendar year that didn't yield a single victory at Test level for Wales, with a review into 2024 promising changes to Gatland's backroom team.
Former Wales tighthead Jones joined this week alongside sports psychologist Andy McCann has also been appointed.
