Ex-Wales coach Gatland takes up role in Uruguay

Warren Gatland has taken up an advisory role in Uruguayan rugby three months after ending his second spell as Wales head coach.

The 61-year-old New Zealander will join Uruguay's professional club side Penarol for the Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off finals.

Gatland left his job as Wales head coach in February, two games into the 2025 Six Nations after a record-breaking run of 14 successive Test match defeats.

SRA semi-finalists Penarol announced his short-term role on social media declaring, "Welcome Warren Gatland".

The Montevideo-based club added: "The legendary New Zealand coach joins Penarol as an advisor to [head coach] Ivo Dugonjic and the entire Penarol staff to put all his knowledge to work for the team."

Reports from South America say Gatland will also contribute to Uruguay's bid to reach the Rugby World Cup, with a qualifier against Paraguay in August before potentially playing either Chile or Brazil for a place at the 2027 tournament in Australia.

Gatland is one of rugby's most successful coaches, with spells at Connacht, Wasps, Waikato and Super Rugby side Chiefs in addition to an international career which began at the helm of Ireland in 1998.

He led the British and Irish Lions to a series victory against Australia in 2013 and a draw against the All Blacks four years later.

In his first spell as Wales head coach, from 2007 to 2019, he guided the side to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals.

Wales even briefly topped the world rankings in August 2019 after a record 14-match unbeaten run. During that first stint in charge Gatland recorded 70 wins in 125 games, with 53 defeats and two draws, a success rate of 56%.

However, having returned following the sacking of Wayne Pivac in 2022 he presided over statistically the worst Wales side in their 144-year international rugby history, with 14 successive Test losses. Gatland's second spell brought only six wins and 20 defeats in 26 matches, a success rate of less than 25%.

The side have still to halt a losing run stretching back to a World Cup victory over Georgia in October 2023. Under caretaker Matt Sherratt, Wales' record run of Test defeats has been extended to 17.

Penarol became Uruguay's first professional rugby club when founded in 2019 and are top of the SRA table. Victory over Argentina's Pampas in their final regular-season game will secure them a home semi-final.

Penarol provide the majority of the players in the Uruguay national side.