Warren Gatland reveals he turned down Harlequins and is open to a club role

Warren Gatland has confirmed that Harlequins put a job offer to him this year. He said no because the timing was not right, but he has made it clear he has not finished with coaching.

Speaking to Boyle Sports, Gatland said a role in club rugby would appeal to him. He described international rugby as a tough job because coaches get so little time to prepare their players, and he set that against the freedom of running a club side.

"The good thing about club stuff is that you've almost got an opportunity to experiment and fail to succeed," he said.

Harlequins were not the only ones talking to him. Gatland said he held talks with Fiji's rugby body about its head coach job but decided against applying. He gave his backing to the man now in charge, saying he thinks Jake White will do a good job with Fiji.

Gatland also had family news to share. His third grandchild, a grandson, was born a couple of weeks before the interview, and he said his family had just settled.

For now there is no new role, but Gatland left the door open. "If something else came along and I felt it was the right thing, I would look at something," he said.