Warren Gatland is likely to resolve his problems with his coaching team for the British & Irish Lions tour this summer by turning to two men he knows well from his time in Wales: Steve Tandy, the Scotland defence coach, and Robin McBryde, who is a forwards coach with Leinster.
Gatland has called a press conference for tomorrow when he will name his coaching line-up for the tour to South Africa. He has had to pull off some rapid last-minute recruitment after three of his first-choice selections pulled out late last week.
The Lions head coach had hoped to be able to call on the same trio of assistants who were on his previous Lions tour four years ago: Andy Farrell, as defence coach, Steve Borthwick, who would have reprised his role as forwards coach, and Graham Rowntree, who was expected to be the scrum coach. However, for different reasons, all three pulled out last week.
If he does indeed turn to Tandy, then he will have two members of the Scotland coaching team, with Gregor Townsend, the head coach, already on his staff. Tandy has been Townsend’s defence coach since the World Cup and has made a positive impact. Gatland knows the 41-year-old well from his time in Wales when Tandy was the head coach at Ospreys.
The likely recruitment of McBryde certainly makes sense for Gatland. The 50-year-old was on Gatland’s coaching team with Wales up to the 2019 World Cup, when he was the forwards coach. He is a tried and trusted commodity. Gatland wants to limit any teething troubles by recruiting people with whom he has worked before.
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Meanwhile, South Africa’s preparations for the series face severe disruption with the news that the country’s four franchises may have to withdraw from the Rainbow Cup because of coronavirus travel restrictions.
The tournament had been organised for the coming weeks, with the big four — Bulls, Stormers, Lions and Sharks — due to play against the Pro14 teams of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy.
It was designed as a one-off competition that could get round the problems of Covid-19 and could give fans a taster of the South African teams before they join the Pro14 properly next season.
For the Springboks, it was regarded as a crucial competition because South African players have had such little competitive rugby since the pandemic struck. South Africa have not played an international match since winning the World Cup 17 months ago. In that time, their leading players from the four franchises have played in only two internal competitions.
However, their participation in the Rainbow Cup is now in doubt because of Covid-19. The four teams had intended to fly to Europe, settle at a single base and travel to their matches from there.
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However, the risks of coronavirus remain so great that travel is limited and potential hosts are reluctant to give elite sports teams from South Africa the exemptions required to visit.
There remains a possibility that some of the teams could make a base in Bristol. However, no commitment has been given yet.
A decision on the future of the competition could be made either way by the end of the week.
