Warren Gatland has landed the job as new Wales coach, the Waikato Rugby Union have confirmed.
Waikato confirm Gatland appointment as Wales boss
Warren Gatland has been appointed as the new coach of Wales and will start his new job in December, the Waikato Rugby Union have confirmed.
Gatland became Waikato coach in July 2005 and signed until 2008, but will leave his job early in order to take up an international post with Wales.
The Welsh Rugby Union will hold a press conference at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 12.30pm, where Gatland will apparently be officially unveiled.
Waikato have revealed the news early though, with a statment stating that Gatland will take up his new post from 1st December.
"Waikato coach Warren Gatland has been appointed coach of Wales," read the Waikato statement on their website.
"Today's announcement will see Gatland starting in his new role from 1 December 2007."
Opportunity
Gatland himself was quoted as saying it was a tough decision to leave Waikato, but he had to take another chance at international level.
"I've been given the opportunity to coach at the highest level," said Gatland.
"While it was a hard decision to make to leave Waikato it is the ultimate dream for me to coach at this level again.
"I want to thank Waikato for the support they have given me during this time of transition."
In a statement, Waikato Rugby Union chief executive Graham Bowen said: "The Wales coaching job was an opportunity too good to turn down for Warren who had aspirations to continue on as an international coach.
"The Waikato Rugby Union fully supports Warren in his decision to coach at international level again.
"We have a good relationship with Warren and maybe sometime in the future he will again be able to add value to Waikato Rugby."
Highlights
"Winning the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006 and securing the Ranfurly Shield for the eighth time in Waikato history this year are highlights in Warren's time with the Mooloos," Bowen continued.
"However, he was also instrumental in developing a number of young rugby players in our province and we will no doubt see the result of this in future years in Waikato rugby.
"We have time to recruit before the Waikato rugby season is set to kick off."
Gatland, a former Waikato and New Zealand prop, is the third Kiwi to coach Wales, following in the footsteps of Steve Hansen and Graham Henry.
Former Wasps coach Gatland is currently on leave in the United Kingdom, and will return to New Zealand in mid- November.
He is a former coach of Ireland and is a former Waikato hooker who represented Waikato from 1986-1994. In that time he played 140 games for the province, scored 71 points in his Mooloo playing career, and captained Waikato in 1988.
He was an All Black 1988 and 1991 playing 17 games.
