Warren Gatland to hold talks with WRU within days as wife makes suggestion

Warren Gatland will hold talks with the Welsh Rugby Union in the coming days as he alluded to a suggestion his wife made over his own future.

Wales ended 2024 with a 45-12 defeat against South Africa in Cardiff. Their 11th Test defeat of the year, they became the first Welsh side since 1937 to lose every Test match match in a calendar year and just the second Tier One nation after Italy to do so in the professional era.

It was also their 12th consecutive defeat, with Welsh rugby bosses now set to go away and review a dismal campaign that has seen the pressure rise on Wales' head coach.

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It's understood there will be no knee-jerk decision, with those at the Welsh Rugby Union happy with his desire to carry on in the role. Post-match, Gatland reiterated that he was "motivated to want to be here" - once again repeating he would have conversations with his bosses and family in the days to come.

And he alluded to one particular chat with wife Trudi pre-match after he was asked a question about potentially moving upstairs to a director of rugby-type role.

"My wife said that to me this morning," he said. "Have you thought about doing some stuff?"

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There had been speculation that Gatland could move into a different role after last year's World Cup, while there's still speculation circling around executive director of rugby Nigel Walker's own position. However, given the desire from the WRU to not make any knee-jerk decisions, a move upstairs, while not dismissed by Gatland, seems unlikely.

"I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t say the last few weeks hasn’t been challenging and tough," he added. "We’ve questioned ourselves after each game, what could we have done better, what could I have done that better in the week with preparation.

"That’s no different to when you’re winning too. You’ll still ask yourself the same questions. It’s seeing what happens over the next few days. Go and chat with the powers that be and also talk to family too.

"The last couple of weeks have been challenging in terms of the amount of negativity. You’re only human and that has a little bit of an impact on you. You’ve got to assess what’s happened in the last few weeks and talk to the right people. Look, I’m motivated to want to be here.

"We’ve got a good group of men working hard over the next few months towards the Six Nations, they’re only going to get better. When you ask those questions, I feel like I’m in a no-win situation about what answer I give. It’s almost like when I answer these questions.

"It’s almost like I’m being defiant on what things we need to get better at, and I know we can get better at certain things. I do definitely want to be here and it’s just about letting the dust settle over the next few days, talking to people about the best thing. Talking to people in the Union too."