Gatland signs four-year Wales deal

CARDIFF, Wales -- Former All Black Warren Gatland has been confirmed as the new coach of the Wales rugby team on a four-year contract, taking him up to the end of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Gatland succeeds Gareth Jenkins, who was sacked after Wales' failure to reach the knock-out phase of the recent World Cup in France.

The former Ireland and Wasps coach, who was in charge of the Waikato NPC side and assistant at the Waikato Chiefs in his native country, will take up his new role from December 1.

"Wales is the sleeping giant of world rugby and I want to put in the right structures and processes to make sure we achieve our full potential," said Gatland. "I do think it's essential we have the right balance in the set-up here and I definitely need Welsh input with people from Wales involved.

My priorities are clearly defined with the short term goal to ensure we put the right things in place to face England in the Six Nations and in the long term I will be working to develop a team for the next Rugby World Cup in 2011."

Gatland, who played as hooker for the All Blacks 17 times between 1988 and 1991, had talks with Welsh officials in New Zealand last month and arrived in Cardiff at the weekend to seal the deal.

The 44-year-old knows he faces a tough task to restore Wales to their former glories but he can't wait to get started. "There is a lot of hard work ahead but I know there is enormous talent in Wales and I feel extremely positive about what can be achieved," he said.

"My aim is to leave Welsh rugby in a much better state when I finish here than it is at the start of my career as Wales coach." E-mail to a friend