Gatland Glad Of 'new Voice' Townsend In Lions Coaching Team For South Africa
Muhammad Rameez Published April 13, 2021 | 09:23 PM
Warren Gatland said the British and Irish Lions would benefit from "new voices" as he unveiled a backroom staff on Tuesday featuring Scotland boss Gregor Townsend as attack chief for the upcoming tour of South Africa
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Apr, 2021 ) :Warren Gatland said the British and Irish Lions would benefit from "new voices" as he unveiled a backroom staff on Tuesday featuring Scotland boss Gregor Townsend as attack chief for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
Steve Tandy, Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins will also form part of Gatland's coaching team There are no members of Eddie Jones' England staff among the Lions coaches, with no Englishmen involved at all as Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, Leicester boss Steve Borthwick and Munster's Graham Rowntree are all unable to take part due to international, club and family commitments respectively.
For Townsend, Scotland defence coach Tandy and former Wales forwards coach McBryde, now with Leinster, it will be their first tour as part of the Lions coaching team, with Wales great Jenkins in his fourth tour as kicking coach.
Like Jenkins, former Scotland fly-half Townsend starred as a player for the Lions during their victorious 1997 tour of South Africa.
Both Townsend and Tandy, who effectively replaces Farrell in the Lions set-up, have been appointed following a notable Six Nations for Scotland in which they won away against both England and France.
"We've felt their defence has probably been the best in the championship last year and this year," Gatland told reporters on Tuesday.
Gatland led the Lions to a series win in Australia in 2013 and a drawn series in his native New Zealand four years later.
But while acknowledging the value of Lions coaching experience, he added: "It's also important to have new voices and a fresh perspective. Gregor is doing an excellent job in charge of Scotland." As for McBryde and Tandy, former Wales boss Gatland said: "The buzz I got really was having the phone call with Robin and Steve Tandy, asking them to come on board.
"Their response was unbelievable, brilliant. Steve said to me 'Oh my God, I'm shaking at the knees, I'm just so excited'." Meanwhile Gatland said nothing should be read into the absence of any England coaches in the Lions set-up, which could yet be expanded "People are trying to make a story out of that... No one made an issue of it in the past when we haven't had Scottish coaches.
"It's just about trying to pick who you think are the best people to come into your environment, who I think I can work well with and hopefully put a good team together." - 'Exciting challenge' - Townsend said his appointment was a "huge honour" and that he was looking forward to the "exciting challenge" of helping build a team in a short period of time.
Turning to Tandy's involvement, Townsend said the Welshman had been "outstanding" in his 18 months with Scotland and that the "defensive side of our performances have got better and better".
But he insisted: "Steve is more than just a defence coach. He is someone who connects well with the players and gets them playing well." Townsend added playing for a victorious Lions team "means more now than it did 24 years ago".
"You realise with each passing year how important the Lions are and how fortunate and lucky I was to be involved on such a good Lions tour in South Africa back then."The Lions are planning to go ahead with a July and August tour despite the coronavirus pandemic, with South Africa not having played a match since beating England in the 2019 World Cup final.
But an original schedule consisting of a June warm-up against Japan in Edinburgh and an eight-match tour culminating with three Tests against the world champion Springboks could be revised.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
SC orders end of encroachments in Karachi
Nazish Jahangir denies viral screenshots, calls them fake
Govt likely to hike electricity price once again
Bismah Maroof announces immediate retirement from international cricket
Malala expresses unwavering support for Gaza people
Selection committee dissolved over Pakistan women cricket team's poor performanc ..
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz in police uniform at Chung police center
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 25 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 25 April 2024
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
Session Awarding Ceremony 2024 held at Cadet College Muzaffarabad
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
More Stories From Sports
-
Zone-VI Whites qualify for final in cricket tournament
10 minutes ago -
Int’l tennis player Hamza receives cash award incentive for outstanding performance
50 minutes ago -
Chief Minister KP to open Inter-Madrasa, Special Games on April 30
60 minutes ago -
IOC Refugees Olympic Team to be announced on May 2
2 hours ago -
Bismah Maroof announces immediate retirement from international cricket
4 hours ago -
Norman sees Adelaide success as blueprint for all LIV Golf events
4 hours ago
-
Mohsin Naqvi reconstitutes women’s selection committee
5 hours ago -
Selection committee dissolved over Pakistan women cricket team's poor performance
6 hours ago -
Paris holds its breath for Olympic swimming events in murky Seine
8 hours ago -
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
18 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 1st update
18 hours ago -
Osaka seals first win on clay since 2022 in Madrid
18 hours ago