Warren Gatland FIRES BACK at Media, Wales Exit & Why He’ll Never Coach All Blacks

Warren Gatland joins us for his first ever New Zealand podcast, and he doesn’t hold back!

Warren is one of the true greats of New Zealand rugby and one of the game’s most respected coaches worldwide.

But his story is as much (if not more) about family, resilience, and perspective as it is about rugby.

In this podcast exclusive Warren opens up about:

+ Why he walked away from Wales earlier this year and what life looks like now.

+ The importance of family and the heartbreaking story of losing his first child at 4 months old.

+ The toughest conversations of his coaching career

+ What he’s most proud of, what keeps him grounded, and how he defines happiness today. And why he doubts he will ever coach the All Blacks.

This is Warren Gatland as you’ve never heard him before: thoughtful, funny, emotional, and deeply honest.

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Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

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I became a client when they came on board as the show sponsor and it’s been a gamechanger for me personally- I’m kicking myself for not doing it years earlier.

You can book a no obligation chat with one of their awesome KiwiSaver advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

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Who should be on the podcast next? Message Dom
Instagram: @domharveynz
Email: domharveynz@gmail.com

If you enjoyed the podcast and would like for your business to sponsor an episode, please email Domharveynz@gmail.comAwesome

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00:00 Warren Gatland’s first NZ podcast 👀
01:20 Life after Wales: “I don’t need this in my life”
02:15 Fiji dives & family bliss
03:20 The Lions “shopping bet” with Gabby
04:35 Bryn’s pranks & Dad naps 😂
06:43 “Big Much”: the Gatland family code
09:09 Secret family phrases (and what they mean)
10:45 How Warren met Trudy (and why he’d be canceled today)
13:40 Sacrifices of a rugby life
15:32 When Gabby defended Dad on socials
17:57 Bachelor life in Wales & Sunday loneliness
20:21 Shawna: the loss that reshaped his coaching
25:16 Grief, healing, and perspective
29:56 A hugging family in a tough sport
32:18 Christmas in Japan (and bidet chat)
33:12 The ultra-competitive kid who loved cricket
35:55 Waikato years: glory, grit, legends
39:29 Why Waikato fans are different
41:50 Why Lions Tours must never be shrunk
44:14 Becoming an All Black (old-school announcement vibes)
46:38 Not picked? How to respond like a pro
48:47 Lessons from Fitzpatrick (rivals & respect)
51:10 Three coaches who shaped him
53:10 Proudest All Black moments
55:11 “Dirty Dirties” explained 🍻
57:38 From player instincts to coach IQ
59:57 Why he walked from Wales (media vs. reality)
62:35 Welsh rugby’s deeper problems
64:33 Steve Hansen, the 2017 draw & that photo
66:17 No agent. No CV. Still winning.
70:35 Uruguay cameo: giving back to the game
72:59 Hardest chat ever: dropping Brian O’Driscoll
75:18 Controlling the narrative (and when it backfires)
77:30 2011 final take that angered Kiwis
79:55 Media then vs now: what changed
82:03 The Herald clown nose saga 🤡
86:25 When criticism hits the family
90:20 The romance of the Lions (bigger than winning)
92:25 Wales love story: 12 years & “Gatland’s Gate”
94:09 What he’s proudest of with Wales
96:30 World Cups: luck, lessons, and timing
99:14 Turning chaos into an edge
101:40 Legacy: the straight-up coach
104:20 Reconnecting with mates (post-grind life)
107:07 Still too competitive? (Ping-pong & golf)
110:35 Happiness now: simple days, fewer worries
113:07 Chef Gatland’s prawn linguine 🍝
115:47 Grandad mode: obsessed with milestones
119:15 How he wants the grandkids to see him
121:20 Public perception vs private reality
123:53 Last time he cried (and why)
125:20 What he fears—and hopes—next
127:18 Regrets? Not really.
129:47 Three words his family would use
131:18 Is Warren Gatland proud of himself?
134:00 Final reflections & thanks