Lions tour: Rob Howley labels treatment of Warren Gatland 'an absolute disgrace'
The Rugby Round Table discus Jordie Barrett's selection for this Saturdays test against the Lions.
Lions assistant coach Rob Howley has labelled the treatment of Warren Gatland throughout the Lions tour as disgraceful.
Gatland, the first Kiwi to coach the Lions in New Zealand, was caricatured as a clown in a New Zealand Herald cartoon.
The Lions coach looks certain to be overlooked as Steve Hansen's successor but Howley has "no doubt" that Gatland will one day get the All Blacks job.
Lions assistant coach Rob Howley says the treatment of Gatland has been disgraceful.
"The way Warren Gatland's been treated has been a disgrace, an absolute disgrace," Howley told the Guardian.
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"You can be critical of technical or tactical elements of the Lions or New Zealand but when that becomes personal criticism we all step over the mark.
"That's happened over the last four weeks of the tour. It's not nice in terms of your family."
Howley, who's been a Lions assistant coach for the last three tours since 2009, said Gatland deserves more respect and he's never known a coach be targeted to such an extent.
Howley with Liam Williams and Anthony Watson after beating the Crusaders.
"You have to applaud what he's achieved as a Kiwi in the northern hemisphere - and I've no doubt what he'll achieve when he comes back to New Zealand as well," he added.
"He's probably one of the best coaches in world rugby at this moment in time."
Asked if Gatland could coach the All Blacks, Howley said: "Yes, I've got no doubt he will be. If and when we do win this weekend, I'm sure the accolades will come."
Gatland has been Wales coach since 2007, with Howley becoming his assistant a year later.
The former Wales and Lions halfback, who played in two Lions tests across tours in 1997 and 2001, said Gatland had been "unbelievable" since he began coaching in 1989.
He's most notably had success with Connacht, Ireland, Wasps, Waikato, Wales and the Lions.
Lions assistants (from left to right) with Andy Farrell, Howley and Graham Rowntree with Warren Gatland.
Howley added: "When you look at the success and what he's won, whether it's in Connacht, Ireland and Wales … I've learned hugely from Warren Gatland.
"I learned more as a player when I was coached by Warren at the age of 31 than I had done from any other coaches. He taught me a hell of a lot and you never forget that as a player.
"He understands the games, he understands players. I think his time behind Sean Fitzpatrick on the bench for the All Blacks served him pretty well in terms of his thought process and what he's able now to talk to players about."
Would Gatland be a good All Blacks coach?
Howley, who addressed media on Friday prior to Saturday's Eden Park decider, said you could "see a glint in the players' eyes" before their shot at becoming the first Lions team to a win a series in New Zealand since 1971.
- Stuff
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