LISTEN: Will Greenwood's rugby podcast featuring Warren Gatland

By Will Greenwood, Rugby Union Expert & Columnist @willgreenwood

On this week’s podcast, Warren Gatland joins Will Greenwood and Rupert Cox to talk all things British and Irish Lions following the news he will return to coach the team in 2021.

New Zealander Gatland will become only the second person after Sir Ian McGeechan to lead the Lions on three consecutive tours when they head to South Africa in two years' time.

Click here to listen to the podcast's latest episode

Along with discussing his reasons behind deciding to take the head coach role for a third time, the 55-year-old looks back on some of the highlights from his previous three tours to South Africa in 2009 as forwards coach, Australia in 2013 and his homeland four years later.

The second of those includes what he regards as his best off-field moment, being sat in the changing room on his own in the aftermath of the Lions' 41-16 win over Australia in Sydney.

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Image: Warren Gatland heads off to the changing rooms after the Lions' series-clinching win over Australia in 2013

"I went down the sidelines and walked onto the field, and there was a massive wall of photographers in front of me," Gatland said.

"I wanted to congratulate the players and this wall of photographers just kept walking back in front of me.

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"I gave it a bit of time and said 'come on, guys, I want to go with the players' and they just wouldn't move.

"I said 'oh, stuff you', and just turned around and walked back into the changing rooms. I went and opened a beer, sat on my own, had a little bit of a tear, celebrations and sat on my own for 10 minutes."

As well as this, Gatland reveals the best player he has coached on tour, the best team performance, his hardest selection decision, the moment he would most like to replay, his biggest regret and what made Phil Vickery such a great tourist.

He also gives his thoughts on how Northern Hemisphere rugby is viewed back in New Zealand.

Click here to listen to all of that and more in the latest episode of Will Greenwood's Rugby podcast and to subscribe!

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