Wales preparations for autumn Tests take a blow as Sam Warburton quits as a coach – in order to focus on other commitments – with Gethin Jenkins replacing him in Wayne Pivac’s setup
Sam Warburton has quit as a Wales coach ahead of the autumn Tests, as he steps away from coaching, and is replaced by Gethin Jenkins, the most capped prop of all time.
Jenkins, the 39-year-old who won 129 Wales caps and five for the Lions, joins Wayne Pivac‘s coaching team as a breakdown and defensive specialist.
Jenkins has spent time since his retirement in 2018 working with the Welsh Under 20s, Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC but will now join the main national squad full-time.
Sam Warburton has quit as a coach of Wales to focus on other commitments outside that role
Warburton began his role with Wales last November, but a WRU statement said he wanted to: ‘spend more time on his other commitments away from coaching.’
Two-time Lions captain Warburton, since retiring in 2018, has become a successful television pundit and has worked for BT Sport on their European Cup coverage.
New kids on the block Amazon Prime may well now swoop for Warburton as a big-name analyst for the upcoming autumn Tests.
The internet broadcasters will show the hastily arranged Autumn Nations Cup which was cobbled together to replace the cross-hemisphere internationals due to the Covid-19 pandemic – and it is suspected Warburton would be top of their list to join up now out of Wales camp.
Warburton, 32, who welcomed a second child – Max – into the world in August, said: ‘I would like to thank Wayne and the coaching team for the opportunity I’ve had. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and I’m excited for the future for the national team.
‘For me personally, I have had time to reflect and plan during the lockdown and I feel with a new addition to my family and business interests away from coaching, I can’t devote the time needed in the role and so have decided to step away from coaching.
‘What Wayne and his team are building is hugely exciting and I wish them all the best for the future.’
New recruit Jenkins commented: ‘I would like to thank Richard Holland, John Mulvihill, and Gruff Rees for giving me the opportunity to start my coaching career at Cardiff Blues. I would also like to thank Steve Law at Cardiff RFC for giving me free reign to experience preparing a team on a week to week basis.
‘I’m relishing the opportunity to get stuck into the international environment, working with quality coaches and players at the top of their game.
‘I’m well versed on the demands of the international game and I’m looking forward to offering my input and where I can add to the environment.’
And Pivac added: ‘I’m delighted to be welcoming Gethin into the coaching team, he has vast experience of the international game and is hugely respected. Since retiring he has built a great reputation as a coach and has worked across different levels and age-grades of the game, most recently working alongside Wales’ U20 side.
‘Gethin will be a great addition to the coaching team and will compliment Byron extremely well in their respective roles and I’m looking forward to working with him.
‘I’d like to thank Sam for his hard work over the last year and what he has given to the team and to Wales. I would like to thank him for his honesty regarding his future and the need to spend more time on other projects away from the game and wish him all the best in that.’