Warren Gatland’s all-time XV of players he’s coached could compete with any team from any generation of rugby with legends throughout his selection.
Looking back through the archives, the 58-year-old saves his praise for only the players he truly admires.
Below, find his dream team of the players he coached.
DID YOU KNOW? As a player, Gatland played as a hooker and was one of Waikato’s longest-serving players, having played 140 games for the province – a record at the time
WARREN GATLAND DREAM TEAM:
BACK-THREE:
- 15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
- 14. Shane Williams (Wales)
- 11. Sitiveni Sivivatu (New Zealand)
Gatland on Sivivatu: “Probably the best player I’ve ever coached, [who] played for the All Blacks, Waikato and Clermont, was Sitiveni Sivivatu,”
Gatland on Halfpenny: “Probably pound-for-pound, Shane Williams. He had some incredible brilliant attacking attributes. But sometimes Shane could score three tries and let in two. But pound for pound he was unbelievable when he was at his best.”
CENTRES:
- 13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
- 12. Jamie Roberts (Wales)
Gatland on O’Driscoll: “In his prime, he was absolutely outstanding in terms of his rugby knowledge and leadership. He was always able to make players around him look better than they were.”
