After being named Head Coach of The British & Irish Lions for the 2017 Tour to New Zealand, Warren Gatland spoke in an exclusive interview with Alex Payne of Sky Sports.
Having led the Lions to a series victory in Australia in 2013, Gatland is targeting more success in New Zealand against the world champions.
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He explained: “Success in 2017 is about going to New Zealand and winning the Test series and I honestly believe we can do that.”
According to Gatland, the Lions have the necessary blend of pace and footwork in the backs, as well as the experience, size, and most importantly skill in the forwards to beat the All Blacks next summer.
Alex Payne: Congratulations, the badge is back on, how proud a moment is this for you?
Warren Gatland: It is a huge honour, I have been incredibly fortunate to be involved in the last two Tours. 2009 was a great experience and then 2013 in Australia as Head Coach was a phenomenal experience.
To be in charge again and to go back to New Zealand is going to be pretty special.
Was it an easy decision? Did you say yes on the spot or did you say can I have a couple of days to think about it?
It is one of those jobs. Everyone has spoken about how tough it is going to be going to New Zealand, but I think if you get offered a job like this – it is one of the most prestigious jobs in the world.
I wouldn’t have taken this job on if I didn’t think there were players with the ability to go to New Zealand and win. There is some real talent there at the moment. There is pace, there’s players with footwork.
There’s experience in the forward pack and there’s some size as well, there’s some real skill and I am incredibly excited about the potential of a Lions team to go to New Zealand.
I have got to believe we are good enough that we can pick a squad that is good enough to go to New Zealand and beat the All Blacks.
If we don’t believe that, then we shouldn’t even be getting on the plane. If there’s players out there who have doubts then make yourself unavailable because we have to go down there as a squad of players and a group of people who believe 100 percent that we are good enough to go to New Zealand and win a Test series.
