Rugby: Grumpy Warren Gatland gripes at gameplan stereotype

Lions coach Warren Gatland isn't too keen on his rugby strategies being stereotyped. He's unquestionably a little bothered by the preconceived notion his Lions will offer nothing but up the guts running lines with a view to smashing all opponents off their feet on this tour.

In the UK they use the phrase 'Warrenball' - a phrase coined a few years ago to sum up the prevailing view that teams coached by Gatland play with a definite style that is exclusively direct, confrontational and physical.

Who knows quite when this idea started to gain currency, but in the last month or so it has gathered considerable momentum.

And it has been pushed hard into the public arena by All Blacks coach Steve Hansen who continues to state his expectation that the Lions, whatever else they say to the contrary, will revert to a simple, low risk game that is favoured by Wales.

No coach enjoys being pigeon-holed like that - it implies a lack of awareness and flexibility, qualities that Gatland clearly has displayed to have enjoyed such a long and illustrious career.

And Gatland, in naming his British and Irish Lions side to play the Blues, made it clear that he doesn't particularly care for that perception.

There is the implication that his rugby teams lack variation, creativity and subtlety. Understandably he doesn't see that as being a fair representation of how teams he coaches he plays.

The other bit that clearly rankles with him is the veiled criticism that being physical, confrontational and direct is some kind of tactical failing.

At the core of every international rugby side's gameplan is a desire to be direct, physical and confrontational.

The All Blacks are those things every time they play and globally revered for it. Perhaps that's what was getting Gatland's goat - the double standards at work.

And something was getting his goat as he responded tersely when he was asked by one UK journalist about the growing number of critics who believe teams coached by him only have one type of game to offer.

"What do you mean by one type of game?" he asked in response. "When did that way start. You don't know the answer to that do you?

"I kind of look and go...was it when we were successful with Wasps or was it when I was with Waikato and we won the Air New Zealand Cup?

"I don't know...when did this start? When did a certain style change?

"A few years ago Brian Smith coined the phrase Warrenball and I don't know if that was because he was jealous because of how much success we had...I don't know.

"We had a group of players who came through Wales at the time who ended up being big, physical players. The modern game of rugby is about getting across the gainline and trying to get front foot ball and playing into space."

Gatland says he's made it clear to his Lions squad that they have a licence to express themselves; to be creative and spontaneous. He's adamant his Lions team have come to New Zealand to use all the skills they have, to move the ball and take risks to open the game.

"The message to the players is that we want to play positive rugby and move the ball and create chances," he said. "To match the All Blacks you have to display a bit of x-factor and that means an offload or something that is a little bit outside the box.

"The players have to back their ability. We don't want to be prescribed and play by numbers. They have been encouraged to demonstrate their level of skill and hopefully we can do that on Wednesday."