English Premiership club Wasps are believed to be preparing an offer for the recently removed Irish coach Warren Gatland. The London club are struggling near the foot of the Zurich Premiership and have vacancies after releasing their forwards and backs coaches, John Lambden and Gareth Rees.
Wasps director of rugby, Nigel Melville did little to play down the rumour yesterday when confirming his admiration for Gatland. "We are looking for a new forwards coach. Obviously we would be interested because Warren comes out of the same stable as John Mitchell."
Mitchell, the current All Blacks coach and one-time team-mate of Gatland's at Waikato, had been the Wasps forwards coach until he left to go back to New Zealand.
Wasps had desperately wanted to keep Mitchell but, ironically, the English Rugby Union's reluctance to contract Mitchell beyond April this year prompted his departure.
Gatland is sure to be in demand after he was controversially removed by the IRFU last week, although if there is to be any offer from Wasps it is clearly at the teething stage.
"I haven't had any discussions with Wasps yet," admitted Gatland last night.
The erstwhile Irish coach has also made plans for an extended Christmas break in New Zealand with his family and is keen to remain in Galway for the time being.
In the meantime, Gatland has been inundated with good wishes from a wide range of sports people, including current Irish squad members, coaches and supporters. Republic of Ireland soccer manager Mick McCarthy telephoned from South Korea over the weekend to wish him well.
Adding further irony to Gatland's removal last week, the year-ending Zurich world rankings show Ireland to be in unprecedented good health with a global high of sixth - a rise of two places over the course of 2001.
Ireland's recent conquerors, New Zealand, are back at number one for the first time since early last year despite speculation that England, after winning three successive tests, would be placed first.
That defeat to Ireland cost them the top ranking, while Australia drop from first to third.
WORLD RANKINGS: 1. New Zealand 1198; 2. England; 3. Australia 1148; 4. South Africa 1092; 5. France 1051; 6. Ireland 849; 7. Scotland 807; 8. Wales 804; 9. Argentina 701; 10. Samoa 667; 11. Italy 604; 12. Canada 562; 13. Fiji 560; 14. Tonga 546; 15. Japan; 16. USA 383; 17. Georgia 349; 18. Romania 339; 19. Namibia 287; 20. Uruguay 267.
