Here are the latest rugby headlines on Tuesday, December 6.
Mike Brown begrudgingly backs Gatland
England international Mike Brown has backed the WRU's re-appointment of Warren Gatland and says he is the man to turn around results.
Brown, who played against Gatland's Wales teams many times, expects the Kiwi to make an instant impact with the 2023 Six Nations just around the corner. The full-back was often at the centre of the Wales v England off-field mind games and on-pitch confrontations during Gatland's first reign.
"This is the time to make a change if you are going to do it. You still have a year [until the World Cup] and we know in sport there will be a reaction when there is a change at the top," he told the Rugby Pod
"For them there is no better man to take the reins than Warren Gatland. They love him and he'll get immediate buy-in from supporters, players and the WRU with the calibre he has got behind him. If there is someone who can turn the ship and get them back to winning ways it is him, unfortunately."
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Gatland relishing Ireland test
Wales boss Gatland says he is relishing the prospect of a "fantastic" Guinness Six Nations opener against world number one team Ireland.
Gatland's second spell in charge of Wales will begin with a fierce reintroduction to Test match rugby.
After the final year of his previous reign delivered a Six Nations title and Grand Slam in 2019, Gatland will be reunited with a tournament he describes as "the best rugby competition in the world".
Either side of a 2021 title success, Wales had two fifth-place finishes under Wayne Pivac.
Prior to Gatland's departure from Wales after the 2019 World Cup, Wales recorded a 70 per cent Six Nations success rate across the 12 tournaments that took place during his tenure.
Wales won the Six Nations four times, including three Grand Slams, which was a record that none of their rivals could top.
"It (Six Nations) is completely different to the autumn series, where there is an opportunity to try things out," Gatland said.
"The Six Nations is when points are at stake, and that kind of replicates in some way the World Cup, where the aim initially is to get out of your pool.
"For us, it is about hopefully hitting the ground running and just making sure we have a Six Nations campaign where, first of all, we are competitive.
"Having Ireland first up is going to be a challenge against the number one team in the world, but having them first up is fantastic.
"The first thing is to see those players wearing that (Wales) jersey with incredible pride and giving a performance that reflects the hard work they've put in.
"If we do that, we have got a chance of having a good Six Nations and then we can build on that towards France and the World Cup."
Woodward says Jones 'a shadow of former self'
Sir Clive Woodward believes Eddie Jones will be remembered for "misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises" during his time as England head coach.
Woodward, who led England to World Cup glory in 2003, and Jones were rival coaches when his team beat Australia to lift the trophy 19 years ago.
Jones' seven-year reign with England ended on Tuesday following a Rugby Football Union review of an Autumn Nations Series campaign that saw defeats against Argentina and South Africa.
"I am always sorry to see people lose their job, but Eddie Jones has been badly distracted since the last World Cup and he's paid the price," Woodward wrote in his Daily Mail column.
"He is a much better coach than he has shown over the past three years. He is a shadow of the Jones I competed with, and whose first years with England were so successful and rightfully applauded.
"He became completely focused on the 2023 World Cup, and that was a costly error.
"International rugby is very simple: focus everything on the next game with absolutely zero distractions. The fans who pump the money into the sport didn't buy his hype.
"What will Jones' legacy be? The semi-final victory over New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup was his best performance, but unfortunately, he will be remembered for the misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises.
Borthwick to be appointed England boss
Leicester Tigers cancelled a scheduled press conference with head coach Steve Borthwick today amid reports he is in talks to succeed Eddie Jones.
Jones' former number two, the man seen as the glue behind the scenes of one of the most successful periods in English rugby history, looks set to replace his coaching mentor, who has been sacked nine months out from the World Cup.
The deal could be done by the end of this week.
Read more:
Warren Gatland reveals the Wales players who impressed him the most while he was away
Eddie Jones sacked by England and leaves Twickenham in taxi as interim coach named
Prince William sends personal message to Warren Gatland as he returns as Wales head coach
