Rugby evening headlines as Warren Gatand back to work in new job and million pound All Black switches countries

Here are the latest rugby evening headlines on Friday, January 28.

Warren Gatland is back at work in New Zealand following his year-long Lions sabbatical and is getting used to working alongside his successor.

Super Rugby side Chiefs go into the 2022 season with a re-jigged coaching structure; Gatland was brought in as head coach on a four-year deal in 2020 but after Clayton McMillan successfully took the reins while the former Wales boss was overseas, McMillan is now head coach with the two-time Lions head coach now director of rugby for the next two years.

Chiefs head coach McMillan has now revealed that Gatland is still having a hands-on approach - following a respectful distance while learning how the new head coach operated - and is around the team every day in the first details of how the new set-up will work.

"Gats is in here every day so this is not a part-time role for him," McMillan said. "We want him to be here, we want him to have an active role in everything we do. From my perspective, it’s been awesome.

"He’s just really… I wouldn’t say sat back, but he’s been really respectful in seeing how I operated because unlike the other coaches, he didn’t really get to see how I operated [last year]. It’s only taken a couple of weeks to all get into our groove and we’re all really happy. I’m really confident that his knowledge, his experience is going to serve us really well in the role that he’s got."

Forwards guru Neil Barnes has also left, so McMillan is taking a more hands-on role with the lineout, while David Hill is looking after defence with guidance from Gatland.

"The coaching team is getting on like a house on fire," McMillan added.

"Gats has come in and I think he’s pretty understated but he’s a smart man