Wales coach Warren Gatland has told New Zealand radio he will step down after the next World Cup.

“I’m here until 2019 and the plan for me then is definitely to come home for a period,” Gatland told Radio Sport in New Zealand.

According to Walesonline, after eight years in charge of Wales he hinted the time would be right for him to take a sabbatical, saying: “If I was involved in provincial rugby or Super Rugby that would be great, but if I’m not, I may have to go to the beach for six months or 12 months, put my feet up and take a bit of a break.

Longest-serving coach

“Post-2019 definitely the plan is to come back home to New Zealand.” Appointed in December 2007, Gatland is the longest-serving coach in Wales’ history.

He has won two Grand Slams with Wales but struggled to make an impression in this year’s World Cup, his injury-hit side going out in the quarter-finals to South Africa.

Next summer he will take Wales to New Zealand for a three-Test tour . That could be a useful reconnaissance mission for the following year’s Lions tour to New Zealand.

Gatland, who oversaw the 2013 success in Australia and was part of the 2009 management team, will be among the candidates, along with two other New Zealanders, Ireland's Joe Schmidt and Scotland's Vern Cotter, to lead that squad. – (Guardian service)