Chiefs coach Warren Gatland has revealed that his son Bryn predicted scoring the winning drop goal for the Highlanders against his side during their pre-match dinner.
In the opening match of Vodacom Super Rugby Aotearoa, the Highlanders snatched a win against the favoured Chiefs in dramatic fashion as Bryn Gatland came off the bench to slot a long-range drop goal.
WATCH: Gatland’s match-winning drop goal
Bryn Gatland was originally left out of the Highlanders’ matchday 23, but found out that he would be included on the bench on Thursday evening after starting flyhalf Josh Ioane withdrew from the match due to injury.
‘It was a bit of a different situation for me really,’ Bryn Gatland explained after the match.
‘I found out on Thursday and then had dinner [on Friday night] with him and mum. Halfway through dinner he got a text and he looked at me and said: “Are you on the bench tomorrow?” I didn’t want to give the game plan away.’
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Picking up the story from there, Warren Gatland said his son tongue-in-cheek predicted that he would be the one to score the winning three points against his father’s side.
‘I looked at him and I went, “Are you on the bench tomorrow?” And he said, “I am”. I said OK. He wasn’t going to tell me, which was good.
‘And then we had a joke, and he said, “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to come on and kick the winning drop goal”. And it ended up happening. I just went and saw him afterwards.
‘I’m not happy about the result, but he showed a bit of calmness there, and he’s done that in the past and won games in clutch moments.
‘Unfortunately we gave him that opportunity and in fairness he was able to step up to the plate and deliver for them.’
Photo: Marty Melville/Getty Images
