Gatland has 'Mourinho type ego': O'Connell

Marc Hinton, www.rugbyheaven.co.nz | March 24, 2009 - 2:29PM

Winners may be grinners, but they also get the final word which has seen one of Ireland's Grand Slam-winning heroes fire a fairly brutal salvo at Wales' Kiwi coach Warren Gatland in the wake of their weekend heroics.

Gatland copped the verbal spray from Ireland's inspirational lock Paul O'Connell in the wake of the Grand Slam decider in Cardiff, suggesting there are some potential rifts developing already ahead of the Lions tour.

O'Connell accused Gatland of having a "Jose Mourinho type ego", in reference to the flamboyant former Chelsea football manager, which is interesting considering Gatland will be O'Connell's forwards coach on the looming Lions tour of South Africa.

O'Connell is even being tipped as a potential Lions captain, which could further heighten tensions.

Gatland, the former Waikato supremo now in charge of Wales, had delivered a few digs at the Irish in the leadup to the clash at the Millennium Stadium which Ireland won 17-15 to clinch their first Grand Slam in 61 years. Wales dropped to fourth in the final standings after the defeat.

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