Jim Hamilton has linked former Wales and Lions Head Coach, Warren Gatland, to the Portugal job after his rumoured move to Premiership side Harlequins did not get over the line.
The coach has been out of work since February 2025. He left the job as Wales Head Coach in the middle of the Six Nations.
Warren Gatland and his rumoured next job
Hamilton shared on the Rugby Pod that Gatland was in line to take the post as Portugal Head Coach.
Rumours have since grown as Warren Gatland was spotted at Portugal’s massive 44-7 win over Romania.
Hamilton also revealed later in the podcast that he had been speaking directly to Gatland at the Wales vs Scotland game. There is a strong chance that he gained this information, which he shared confidently, directly from the source.
Gatland was reportedly offered the Harlequins job. He turned down the offer as he wasn’t looking to do the majority of the coaching at a club side.
Gatland: A historic coach
Warren Gatland became a coach after a successful career that saw him make 17 appearances for the All Blacks. He got his first major coaching role as the Connacht head coach, having previously coached Galwegians, a local Connacht club.
Gatland earned his place as Ireland’s Head Coach in 2001. He would later go on to coach Wales, the role for which he is likely best known.
He won the Six Nations three times with Wales, winning a Grand Slam on all three occasions.
Gatland was an assistant coach for the Lions in 2009. He then led the team on the 2013, 2017 and 2021 tours.
After leaving his role as Wales Head Coach in 2019. He came back in 2022 to help the team through a difficult transition period.
Portugal: A nation on the rise?
Portugal currently sit 19th in the world and will feature at the 2027 World Cup. This is their third time playing in the tournament.
They have won their three Pool B games in the Rugby Europe Championship. They are on a run of five wins in a row
There is, however, a gulf in class between the two and the top sides. They suffered a 106-7 loss to a second-string Ireland side. While rugby is on the rise in the Mediterranean country, the distance between them and the top sides is still vast. They have won the Rugby Europe Championship once in 2003, which is the Tier 2 competition below the Six Nations.
