Rugby World Cup 2023: Warren Gatland vows to rebuild after Wales' exit
- Published
Warren Gatland has guided Wales to four successive World Cup quarter-finals
Warren Gatland insists he wants to carry on as Wales head coach after seeing them crash out of the World Cup quarter-finals.
Gatland's five-year contract with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), signed last December, has a post-World Cup clause.
The 60-year-old said the union would be "perfectly entitled" to end his contract after Wales were beaten 29-17 by Argentina in Marseille.
But he added: "I want to take this group on further."
The inquest into what the New Zealander called a "hugely missed opportunity" against the Pumas will begin immediately.
Gatland described being asked the "Eddie Jones question", referencing Australia's under-fire coach who has been linked with a switch to Japan, when he was asked about his future at the post-match news conference.
But he added: "There's a clause, but I don't know exactly what the wording is. I haven't actually read it.
"I absolutely want to see this group through, but if the union want to get rid of me, then they're completely entitled to do that. That's up to them."
The WRU will hold a review into Wales' time at the World Cup - as it does after every major tournament - but has previously described Gatland as the "best coach in the world".
Back in August, then acting WRU chief executive Nigel Walker appeared to back Gatland to lead Wales all the way to the next World Cup in 2027.
Walker, now WRU director of rugby, said then: "I cannot see any circumstances where we would invoke that clause."
Reaching the quarter-finals will be some consolation, even if the result is not. Wales will also lose several high-profile players with Dan Biggar definitely retiring and doubts over the future of players such as Gareth Anscombe, Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams and Dan Lydiate.
Gatland said: "We're massively disappointed because it's a missed opportunity.
"We were not at our best, but still could have won. We're gutted that this slipped away from us.
"The way we trained, we went into this game thinking if we can be accurate then we can get to the semi-finals. But it wasn't to be and that's sport.
"However I'm incredibly proud of the effort everyone has put in. We've made good strides and we need to make sure we continue on that path into the Six Nations and not go backwards. That's the challenge.
"This is an exciting group, but we have to take learnings. We need to look at 'how do you improve and develop from this?' and learn."
Karl Dickson (right) declined to penalise contact to the head of Nick Tompkins (centre)
Gatland highlighted a lack of discipline that allowed the Pumas to claw their way back into the game from 10-0 down to lead 12-10 early in the second half through four penalties.
He also admitted Wales failed to take their chances when they led 10-0 in the first half and 17-12 in the second.
But the Wales coach also claimed the early change in referee, when Jaco Peyper was replaced by Karl Dickson, affected his team's approach, though Argentina coach Michael Cheika did not raise the same point.
"That change probably didn't help. You do a lot of analysis through what referees tend to be tough on and what they're looking for. We hadn't really prepared for the change," he said.
Gatland added he would look for clarification over Dickson's decision not to penalise lock Guido Petti for making contact with Nick Tompkins' head in the build-up to Argentina's second try.
"It will be interesting because I thought it was at least a penalty, but the referee said he [Tompkins] dropped his height," he said.
"Then we felt Dillon Lewis was on the ball before they scored. Those big moments happen and can swing things in big matches."