Gatland will not be compromised

Warren Gatland: Dragons and Lion?

Wales coach Warren Gatland insists his position will not be compromised in the way Graham Henry's was if he is appointed to the British and Irish Lions coaching staff next year.

Gatland - as well as assistants Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards - are understood to be top of Ian McGeechan's wish-list for the tour to South Africa.

The WRU is concerned at the precedent set by Graham Henry's Lions tour, which saw his own solidarity with the Welsh team suffer as a result of some of his decisions.

But the crucial difference is that Gatland is not set to be Head Coach, and that he has had experience in both Ireland and England as a senior coaching figure

"I would like to think our situations and experiences are different," said Gatland to the Western Mail.

"He had been involved with Wales, and pretty successful, and became Lions coach.

"I have been here for a fair time. I think I understand the Irish culturally, I have been pretty successful in England and I am in Wales. So that does make it pretty different."

McGeechan has also coached at both national and Lions level when he was Scotland coach, and so gave Gatland an honest and reassuring appraisal on Wales' recent tour to South Africa.

"I have asked Ian McGeechan about what his experiences of coaching Scotland and the Lions were and he said it was positive," said Gatland.

"The Scottish players with the Lions saw another level when it came to skills and professionalism. It raised the bar in Scotland. I would like to think an identical thing would happen in Wales."