Wales have reportedly decided to axe head coach Warren Gatland during their Six Nations campaign.
Defeats in their opening two matches to France and Italy have prompted the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to place Gatland on gardening leave while they search for his replacement.
WRU chiefs have already started to look for his long-term replacement with Franco Smith, Simon Easterby and Michael Cheika among the contenders, according to WalesOnline.
An official statement is expected later today (Tuesday) and although Gatland is contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, there is a break clause in his contract this summer.
There were suggestions that Gatland could lose his job before the Six Nations, after 2024 passed without Wales winning a single Test match, but he was given the chance to turn their form around.
That has not materialised and the second clash with Italy was seen as crucial for Gatland’s future, but his side went down 22-15 in Rome.
Gatland has delivered the country’s worst-ever run of form, 14 straight defeats, and paid the price after a WRU board meeting was held this week.
Wales are now down to their lowest ever position in the world rankings, slipping to 12th place and for the first time fell below Georgia.
The 61-year-old Kiwi, who has won four Six Nations titles with Wales, pledged to continue working to address the slump before being removed from his position.
“It’s disappointing [but] that’s where we are at the moment,” he said on Saturday in Italy. “We will continue to work hard to try and rectify that and to give these players some confidence and self-belief to execute the things we’ve been working hard on.”
Welsh rugby icons have conceded that Gatland’s position became untenable as they are on course for back-to-back Wooden Spoons at the Six Nations.
Former fly-half Dan Biggar told the BBC: “I don’t think anything is off the table at the moment, it can’t be. It can’t carry on. It is such a shame because there are so many good people there who have had success previously but clearly what is happening in the week is not working on the pitch.”
Ex-captain Gwyn Jones added: “There were times [against Italy] when we were so passive and looked like we didn’t know how to change what we were doing. Gatland has never had a plan B. Plan B has always been to just do plan A better.
“Against Italy it’s as if we were just walking to the gallows without a plan to get out of the way and we’re just waiting for Gatland to go because he cannot stay, regardless of the other problems in Welsh rugby.”
