Wales coach Warren Gatland has been offered the job of leading the British and Irish Lions on their 2013 tour to Australia, BBC Wales Sport understands. Gatland was interviewed for the head coach job in London on Wednesday before returning to his native New Zealand. Representatives of the 48-year-old, who has just led Wales to the second Grand Slam of his time in charge, are now believed to have begun contract talks. Gatland's appointment is expected to be finalised in the next month. Lions bosses wanted their 2013 coach to be "available effectively a year out". And the Welsh Rugby Union, Gatland's full-time employers, had already paved the way for his Lions appointment by granting permission for him to miss the 2013 Six Nations. WRU chief executive Roger Lewis has already spoken "informally" to Lions team manager Andy Irvine and Lions chief executive John Feehan about the prospect of Gatland, who was assistant to Sir Ian McGeechan on the 2009 Lions tour of South Africa, coaching the Lions in Australia.
One hilariously consistent applause? Agents love the Raiders and are eating up the Las Vegas move simply from a tax implication and free-agent recruiting standpoint. The concerns: As much as Carr is the draw, there is some faint concern about his step back this season and some of the injuries. Not deep concern, mind you. But Carr is getting a lot of money on a legitimate contract and didn't look completely right after a back injury this season. Carr has several years of productivity to back him up, but the slight pause is there. You can add Cooper into that equation as well. More from a confidence standpoint when it comes to dealing with injuries. Ultimately, the takeaway is getting the coaching and the defense on track. Oh, and one more thing: despite the positives of the relocation to Nevada, the personnel crowd isn't big on the process and distraction of it. Not to mention the fan base implications that will deepen as the move gets closer. It's not a deal breaker, but for a coach who would come in with ownership pressure to get back on track in Year 1, it's another layer of extra stuff that is less than ideal.