Gatland pays for more downs than ups

When Ireland shattered England's Grand Slam dream in Dublin six weeks ago, Warren Gatland stood in the middle of Lansdowne Road receiving more handshakes and pats on the back in the space of five minutes than in the previous three years. Nevertheless his broad Kiwi shoulders remained a target for the sceptics within the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Coaching Ireland is difficult enough for an Irishman, let alone an outsider, and Gatland's tenure, following the departure of a stream of predecessors in the Nineties including the New Zealander Murray Kidd and the Englishman Brian Ashton, was never watertight. But Ireland's position in the Six Nations' Championship – they finished level with the English on eight points – entitled him to believe his future was secure.

Instead, following a review by a six-man committee, Gatland is being replaced by his assistant, Eddie O'Sullivan, in a reversal of fortunes. In 1996 O'Sullivan was coaching Connacht – until he was replaced by Gatland. Irish rugby is a small world. Declan Kidney, coach of the highly successful Munster side, has been appointed as O'Sullivan's No 2, although they have never worked together and are not regarded as the best of friends.

O'Sullivan, at 42 five years older than Gatland, was a wing with Garryowen and Munster. He coached Blackrock College and Ireland Under-21s. After Gatland's appointment at Connacht, O'Sullivan moved to America, where he worked with the US Eagles, becoming national technical director. In the 1999 World Cup the US were in Ireland's pool and Eddie the Eagle returned to Dublin.

In the meantime Gatland, who had been assistant to the new Ireland coach Ashton, took charge in 1998. The knives were being sharpened during the World Cup when Ireland were expected to reach a home quarter-final againstFrance. Instead they suffered a huge setback, losing to Argentina in Lens. Ireland's style was producing few tries, and after the cup Philip Danaher, the backs coach, was replaced by O'Sullivan.

Gatland survived another débâcle when Ireland conceded 50 points to England at Twickenham in the 2000 Six Nations. For the first time in a long time they got off to a decent start in the last Six Nations, with wins over Italy and France, but when they returned after the foot and mouth outbreak they suffered a 32-10 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield, where Gatland made a number of errors in selection.

It was prior to that that Gatland publicly complained about a lack of security, adding that he would like his contract renewed up to the World Cup in 2003. The IRFU were unimpressed, pointing out that the review on his contract and salary, which was believed to be £120,000, would take place after the autumn internationals. They clearly remained unimpressed despite Ireland's victories over Wales and England and a spirited but futile effort against the All Blacks.

The timing is bizarre. England's loss in Dublin was the only defeat in their last 15 games; Ireland have won five out of their last seven, their position in the 2001 championship was their highest in 16 years, and the provinces have been going great guns in the Celtic League and the Heineken Cup. "With the focus on the World Cup in 2003, Warren Gatland and the IRFU agreed to go their separate ways,'' a spokesman said. The Union may have been influenced by the fact that O'Sullivan had been offered the post of head coach by the US. O'Sullivan's three-year contract takes him up to the end of 2004.

Gatland's final meeting with the IRFU lasted less than 10 minutes, during which time the subject of a contract was never discussed. Lawyers from both parties subsequently agreed to a compensation package which includes a confidentiality clause. "I enjoyed my time in Ireland and I appreciated the support of the players and the public,'' Gatland said. He will now take a family holiday in New Zealand before returning to Galway, where his children attend school and his wife has a business. "I'm not rushing into anything,'' Gatland said.

The new management team have no forwards specialist. O'Sullivan was a wing, Kidney an outside-half and Brian O'Brien, the team manager, a former centre. O'Sullivan, who has the nickname of "Dagger'' because he is regarded in Irish rugby circles as a sharp operator, said: "I'm delighted, honoured and excited. Not to win a cap for my country was my biggest regret, but to coach Ireland is pretty special. We've established a style of rugby that people are happy to watch and now we need a level of performance that is consistent. We have a good squad, a good structure and things are going well. My job is to make it even better.''

O'Sullivan has been instrumental in giving Ireland a more expansive approach, with players like Brian O'Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie, Ronan O'Gara and David Humphreys providing a cutting edge that had been lacking.

Kidney, a former maths teacher, has made his name on the back of Munster's success. "He's a very weird, strange and wonderful man,'' Keith Wood, the Ireland captain, said.