Two of the men Warren Gatland could be working with when he takes up the coaching reins of the Chiefs next year are plotting Wales’ downfall at the World Cup.
Tabai Matson and Neil Barnes are key members of head honcho John McKee’s think-tank with Fiji.
And the work the trio are leading again paid off as they beat New Zealand Maori 27-10 in Suva to send out a renewed warning ahead of clashes with Wales, Australia, Georgia and Uruguay in Pool D.
The top two finishers in the pool advance to the quarter-finals of the global showpiece.
Fiji, who are ranked ahead of Argentina at No.9 in the world, had stunned France 21-14 in Paris last November and have been working hard on their fitness and game plan under New Zealanders Matson, Barnes and McKee.
Matson and Barnes were assistant coaches to Colin Cooper at Kiwi franchise Chiefs in this year’s Super 14 and may stay on when Gatland leaves Wales following the World Cup to return to his Hamilton home.
Fiji enjoyed over 80 per cent possession and territory in the first quarter as they inflicted just the second defeat on the Maori – Gatland’s Lions did it in 2017 – in the past 16 years in the first match of their two-game series. You can read how it happened here.
Former Bath attack coach Matson, Barnes, All Black cap Roger Randle and Andrew Strawbridge, who is among Gatland’s best pals, are coming off contract this year.
But Chiefs chief executive Michael Collins revealed he wouldn’t “be comfortable in saying yes” to bringing in new assistants until he had discussed the future of the incumbents in detail with Gatland.
“I’ve had a few very informal chats with Warren about the make-up of his coaching and management team,” said Collins.
And he added: “We will be cementing our position on the management team and assistant coaches and then we’ll be leaving Warren to his duties with Wales.”
