Rugby: Gatland eyes Super Rugby gig

Despite what he calls a campaign against him, Warren Gatland wants a Super Rugby coaching job. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Warren Gatland is still eyeing a coaching job in Super Rugby despite continuing his attack on the New Zealand media for ruining the British and Irish Lions tour earlier this year.

Gatland claimed there was an orchestrated campaign by New Zealand media to unsettle him and was especially unhappy at coverage of the Lions first clash against a Divisional XV featuring his son Bryn.

He pinpointed a particular Herald story that had upset him: a preview of the opening game where his son lined up for the Barbarians in Whangarei. The story was headlined online as Gatland v Gatland.

I felt there was a certain element that there was negativity ... hearing some of stories that were written, he told the Radio Sport Breakfast.

If you go back and read some of the stories, people contacted me and lets say they were disappointed by some of the stuff that was written. That kind of put stuff into perspective.

I was so excited as a Kiwi coming back to New Zealand playing the best team in the world in their own backyard. I was really looking forward to it but what surprised me was certain elements of negativity in the press. That kind of threw me a little bit.

To me, there was almost like an orchestrated campaign from day one by certain elements to try to unsettle me. So that was definitely challenging, he said.

Ive got to say the hospitality we had in New Zealand was unbelievable, the welcomes we had. I thought the games, in terms of the atmospheres, were incredible. Both sets of fans really took to that.

The former All Blacks hooker and Waikato stalwart said he would like to find a Super Rugby job after he takes Wales to the 2019 World Cup in Japan, and any All Black aspirations would depend on how that turned out.

Gatland is planning six months at home after the World Cup.

Ill come home, go to the beach, see what opportunities there are in Super Rugby. Youve got to be in the right place at the right time in New Zealand, he said.

Perhaps if there is nothing in New Zealand, maybe Ill be back in the UK, France or Japan. Im a great believer in what will be will be.

If there is an opportunity to get involved in Super Rugby and you are successful, other things open up for you. I promise you, there is not a strategy in place to coach the All Blacks.

Hopefully there is a chance to come back home having been away for a significant amount of time.