The 56-year-old finished after the Rugby World Cup and was succeeded by his fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac, who will take charge of Wales for the first time against Gatland's Barbarians.

The three-time Six Nations Grand Slam-winning coach, who left Wales after 12 years in charge after the World Cup, is coaching the Barbarians against his former team on Saturday.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Warren Gatland bid a final farewell to Wales with a special send-off match with his former flame.

Sportsmail sensationally revealed that Howley had been sent home from Japan on the eve of the World Cup after a bookmaker, Betway, alerted the WRU of a rule breach.

The Wales assistant coach broke his silence on Tuesday after a three-month investigation found he had placed 363 bets over four years, including on his own team.

The 28-year-old has been at English and European champions Saracens since 2017, but in 2020 the full back will rejoin the Scarlets where he will earn in the region of £400,000 a year.

MARCUS TOWNEND AT CHEPSTOW: Davies is currently sidelined having undergone knee surgery after being injured while playing Fiji in the World Cup.

CHRIS FOY'S WORLD OF RUGBY: At the end of a World Cup season, players will try to muster some energy for matches in the Southern Hemisphere at a time when they should be lying on a beach.

CHRIS FOY'S WORLD OF RUGBY: Wayne Pivac has to pick him. How can he resist? Wales' head coach must decide in the next 48 hours if he believes 'if you're good enough, you're old enough.'

Wales have responded to a chronic shortage of available centres by launching a cross-border raid for another of England's uncapped junior world champions - Nick Tompkins.

The 18-year-old Gloucester winger, who has been in phenomenal form for his club scoring nine times in 10 matches this season, could make his debut against Italy the day after his 19th birthday.

Teen star Rees-Zammit can have an instant impact for Wales in the Six Nations according to new coach Wayne Pivac, who included the 18-year-old as one of five uncapped players in his squad.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign will begin on Saturday, February 1 with a number of teams eyeing glory in this year's competition.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CHRIS FOY: It turns out that balancing on a rock perched above the waves of the Mediterranean, is not Shaun Edwards' natural habitat.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY WILL KELLEHER: Leigh Halfpenny is a nervy interviewee at the best of times. After the 18 months he has endured, it is understandable that his self-assurance is low.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: George North has started to notice something on those occasions when he cannot hide from the inevitable.

George North looks likely to line up at outside centre in Wayne Pivac's new-look Wales team to face Italy as Rhys Webb is set for a recall.

George North's move to centre for Wales was confirmed on Thursday afternoon as Wayne Pivac revealed his first Test side for the Italy Six Nations game.

WILL KELLEHER IN CARDIFF: Wales often overachieved, pulled performances from nowhere... galvanised by Gatland they showed heart and fire. Now they face life after him with Pivac.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: PC Pivac's first job on the Welsh beat went without a hitch as the former copper's new side thrashed Italy easily in Cardiff.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: The storm stayed away but Ireland built a big green wall to barricade themselves against Welsh tides in Dublin, beating the Grand Slam champions.

Wayne Pivac called for patience after he lost his first Wales match, saying it would not take major surgery to reinvigorate their Six Nations challenge.

EXCLUSIVE: The Six Nations are facing a battle to win support from clubs and players for an expanded tournament featuring South Africa.

Leigh Halfpenny reckons Wales can roll back the clock and repeat their feats of 2013 this year by winning the Six Nations title, despite losing to Ireland in their last encounter.

The Welsh face an unbeaten French side in Cardiff on Saturday. Wayne Pivac's side come into the game on the back of a defeat in Dublin to the Irish - their first Six Nations loss since 2018.

Les Bleus are unbeaten in the tournament so far after wins against England and Italy at home but Wales lock Jake Ball has warned they are ready to make the most of a 'hostile' atmosphere in Cardiff.

Wayne Pivac believes his wise Wales will overcome French flair on Saturday in the Six Nations having picked the most experienced line-up to grace the championship.

If on Saturday the tide has turned against Wales, the French are flooding through in attack and causing chaos it will be the old men of the sea who guide those in red to calmer waters.

Shaun Edwards stood in the bowels of the Principality Stadium wearing the quiet contented look of a man who had just transformed a team that for years had an attitude problem.

Liam Williams, Josh Navidi and George North all set to be fit for selection for boss Wayne Pivac as Wales were handed a triple boost before taking on England at Twickenham on March 7.

EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Welsh victories at Twickenham are rare but much-celebrated occasions. Sportsmail spoke to those involved in the most recent triumphs.

Wales' oracle has spoken and delivered doses of reality to his nation. Alun Wyn Jones does not talk much, but when he does it is worth listening to the totemic and decorated captain.

Wales will give Dan Biggar every chance to make the England Six Nations match this Saturday, with Sam Warburton saying they are 'confident' the fly-half will be fit.

Manu Tuilagi is England's master of destruction on the pitch - and he is building an equally fierce reputation on the chess board.

Sam Warburton may have seen the Wales-England rivalry become friendlier in recent years but he called on his players to make themselves heroes at Twickenham on Saturday.

Anthony Watson and Mark Wilson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations match against Wales at Twickenham, the RFU has announced.

Liam Williams will play his first Test for four months in the Six Nations against England, coming straight into the starting team as Wayne Pivac rings the changes for Wales.

The 21-13 defeat killed off English hopes of a Grand Slam, before Warren Gatland rubbed salt in the wounds by questioning their big-game ability.

Alun Wyn Jones moved to ease fears that Dan Biggar is not fit for Wales' trip to Twickenham by saying he will play against England on Saturday despite suffering a knee injury for Northampton.

Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and his team-mates set out to antagonise Sinckler at the Principality Stadium and the England prop was replaced soon after losing his composure in last year's meeting.

DYLAN HARTLEY: You might remember Alun Wyn Jones getting under Kyle Sinckler's skin last year after Warren Gatland accused the England man of being a timebomb.

NIK SIMON: England face Wales in a mouth-watering Six Nations clash seeking revenge after suffering defeat in Cardiff a year ago.

Josh Navidi once turned All Blacks heads and has now been backed to leave England blue too at Twickenham. He had hamstring trouble but is now fit to start on Saturday.

CHRIS FOY: Twickenham will be a sanitised zone but the health and safety initiatives will not extend to the field of play, as England seek to end Six Nations campaign with a vengeance.

England became Triple Crown winners with a rollercoaster victory against Wales at Twickenham.

Sportsmail runs the rule over every player from the two sides after England survive a late Wales onslaught and win 33-30 at Twickenham to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive.

CHRIS FOY AT TWICKENHAM: Wales didn't even bother to try to antagonise Kyle Sinckler again this time. He has matured a lot in the space of a year, as he proved on Saturday

England could find themselves in treble trouble after Eddie Jones slammed the 'rubbish' refereeing at Twickenham and Joe Marler grabbed Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones by his genitals.

Joe Marler demonstrated some impressive handling skills for a front-row forward in England's Six Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham.