'Wayne Pivac and Dave Rennie are not the only Wales coach candidates'

Gareth Davies (left) with Wales head coach Warren Gatland and WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips (right)Image source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Gareth Davies (left) with Wales head coach Warren Gatland and WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips (right)

Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac and Glasgow counterpart Dave Rennie are not the only men in the running to succeed Warren Gatland as Wales coach, Welsh Rugby Union chief Gareth Davies says.

The pair have been touted as contenders to take over after the 2019 World Cup.

"I don't know where people get that [idea there are only two contenders] from, not from us," Davies told BBC Sport Wales.

"I am not going to speculate on the number at this stage."

The WRU chairman added: "We are just happy with where we are."

'Huge decision for the WRU'

Former Wales and British and Irish Lions fly-half Davies confirmed: "We are still on track for an announcement during the summer.

"It has been a very good process, very enjoyable, but we realise as well it is a huge decision for the Welsh Rugby Union to take in appointing Warren's successor."

Davies accepts the new head coach will not be a Welshman after Wasps' boss Dai Young distanced himself from the role by signing a new contract with the English club.

'Good young coaches'

There will also be no Welsh head coach in charge of any of the four regions next season.

"It is a slight concern and it would be great if we had a long list of Welsh coaches up for selection this time," said Davies.

"That is not the case and it is indicative of the fact that maybe not enough attention has been paid to developing coaches over the last 10 years.

"That is what it is going to take. We are not going to suddenly unearth the next Welsh coach in the next year or so.

"It will be a long process, we have got some good young coaches like Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel and Jonathan Thomas, while David Young has been around for a while.

"There are names there and we are trying to focus more on coaching so we do start developing coaches.

"I would like to think in the next two to four years more prominent names would be coming through with a view to them becoming a future Welsh head coach."

Gatland became Wales coach, external in December, 2007 and has been assistant Lions coach in 2009 in South Africa before taking charge for the 2013 tour to Australia and 2017 trip to New Zealand.

He is currently leading Wales on the Argentina leg of their June tour.

Media caption,

Gruelling games and gauchos - Wales' 1968 Argentina tour

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