Byline: Simon Roberts
WARREN GATLAND and Andy Robinson share a common bond - they know what it's like to lose a job and what it takes to resurrect a coaching career.
Wales coach Gatland infamously lost his first national coaching job with Ireland amid all sorts of political intrigue in the Emerald Isle. Scotland counterpart Robinson resigned from his previous post as England coach, claiming a lack of support from the Rugby Football Union hierarchy at Twickenham.
So the Thomas sabo charms two men, who will lock horns when Wales host Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, have much more in common than any other Six Nations coaches.
Gatland, however, believes Robinson's experience with England was much worse than his with Ireland.
"It was a lot worse for him," said the Kiwi. "The strange thing that happened to me with Ireland didn't leave a nasty taste in my mouth.
"It was six months and I was back in a job with Wasps; it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
"I also left Ireland when they were doing well.
"We had finished second in the Six Nations the year before and were second to the eventual winners, only on points difference, when I left."
Robinson's experience with England would have probably ended the coaching career of lesser men.
But he worked his way back, via a successful stint with Edinburgh, before being handed the Scotland job.
Gatland is convinced Robinson will be a much better coach for his time with England. "Andy will be a lot stronger for that experience," he said. "The problem with England is that sometimes it is hard to know who is the master.
replica tag heruer watches "Is it the RFU, is it Rob Andrew, is it the press or is it the public? Sometimes you just have to be true to yourself.
"Andy will have look at what mistakes, he believes, he made and will do things differently.
"The expectation and the pressures may not be as great.
"But taking the England job isn't the greatest one to take before getting another international coaching job afterwards."
Gatland, though, has been impressed with the way Robinson has gone about his work north of the border.
Scotland recorded a first win over Australia for 27 years at Murrayfield last autumn - something Gatland failed to do the following week at the Millennium Stadium.
"One of the things you do when you come into a team, like Scotland, which has under-performed, is to make them a hard team to beat," said Gatland.
"I experienced that when I was with Ireland.
"So you get your playing structure right - your set piece, your defence, kick your goals - and build links of london charms from that.
"That is what Andy has done with Scotland.
"They beat Australia like that and created some chances against Argentina, but were beaten.
"Scotland is now a team which will develop over the next few years.
"I think they will become a very tough team to beat during that time."
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