Ex-Wales boss Warren Gatland lands surprise new job three months after sacking
Warren Gatland will take up at advisory role with Uruguayan rugby side Penarol three months after he was dismissed as Wales head coach. The New Zealander left his role with Welsh rugby after a horror run of results and has now taken a surprise next step.
Gatland will advise Penarol for the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off finals. The club put out a statement and claimed that the 61-year-old would act as an advisor to their head coach, Ivo Dugonjic, and the entire Penarol staff.
His remit will also see him aid Uruguay's bid to reach the Rugby World Cup, with a qualifier against Paraguay in August before potentially playing either Chile or Brazil as they eye a place at the 2027 tournament in Australia.
Penarol became Uruguay's first professional rugby club when founded in 2019 and are top of the SRA table - they also provide the majority if players for the national side. Victory over Argentina's Pampas in their final regular-season game will secure them a home semi-final.
Gatland's CV made for impressive reading before he opted to return to Wales for a second spell, which ultimately ended in disaster. Upon returning to replace Wayne Pivac he quickly led the Welsh for the last eight of the Rugby World Cup.
After being knocked out by Argentina though the country embarked on a record-breaking run of 14 successive Test match defeats. Gatland left his job as Wales head coach in February when the Six Nations was just two games in with a loss in Italy proving to be the final straw.
It was a sad end for the veteran coach who had enjoyed huge success during his first stint. He was Wales head coach from 2007 to 2019 and guided them to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals. Wales briefly topped the world rankings in August 2019 after a record 14-match unbeaten run. During that first stint in charge Gatland recorded 70 wins in 125 games.
His exploits will Welsh rugby also saw him picked to coach the British and Irish Lions on three occasions. He presided over a series victory against Australia in 2013 and a more than credible draw against the All Blacks four years later.
Wales are yet to halt a losing run stretching back to a World Cup victory over Georgia in October 2023. With caretaker Matt Sherratt at the helm Wales' record run of Test defeats has been extended to 17.
The search for Gatland's full-time successor is still ongoing and now led by recently appointed Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby Dave Reddin. Scotland defence coach and former Ospreys boss Steve Tandy is a leading target with Sherratt claiming it would need a monumental offer for him to consider taking the job full-time.
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