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: The new New Zealander in charge of Wales won his first match, as his predecessor did, but this was a far less significant victory.

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

Dan Biggar has always been up for the fight. When the Wales fly-half signed for Northampton Saints in the autumn of 2017, the East Midlands club were spiralling down the Premiership.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: It took an entire game to ship 43 points to Leinster last weekend. On Saturday night, the Saints had conceded the same total after 48 minutes

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: 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.'

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.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The Six Nations powerbrokers are largely content with the existing deal, which is worth £90m a year between the BBC and ITV and is delivering record viewing figures.

The bookies fancy England after their run to the World Cup final but a new Six Nations era could spring a few surprises after some tough talking at the tournament launch on Wednesday morning.

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.

Louis Rees-Zammit can be the new George North for Wales in the Six Nations, according to his more senior team-mates. The 18-year-old Gloucester winger could make his Test debut on Saturday.

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

Louis Rees-Zammit missed out on his Welsh debut this week as he has hardly been able to train due to his English exile, according to coach Wayne Pivac. The teen isn't in the Wales squad to play Italy.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign, which gets underway this weekend, promises to be a closely-fought affair with several teams eyeing the title.

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.

BY WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wales will be ready for a rude awakening in Dublin on Saturday - aware that Ireland will not walk on to their punches as Italy did.

ROUND-UP: The Six Nations kicked-off this weekend with a thrilling round of fixtures, as Ireland, France and Wales got off to the perfect start, as our team of the filled up with French players.

The uncapped pair have been training with the group in the last few weeks, but have now officially been drafted into the squad and will be available for selection.

Wales and their fly-half might have been the fancy Dans last week against Italy, but it will be back to basics for Biggar & Co in Dublin on Saturday.

Six Nations 2020 gets underway this weekend as teams look build on their Rugby World Cup campaigns last year. Sportsmail will provide you with fixtures, ko times, channel, results and odds.

Ireland host Wales in week two of Six Nations action at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Sportsmail's Ieuan Ivett will provide live coverage including score, tryscorers, substitutions, sin bins, injuries and more.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: Wayne Pivac rued 'unacceptable' errors made by Wales in their first Six Nations defeat since 2018 as they lost 24-17 in Dublin to Ireland.

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.

As the second weekend of Six Nations action draws to a close, Sportsmail's Chris Foy digests the best of the offerings around the grounds...

There have been concerns over Biggar's concussion record, having taken two blows to the head during the World Cup against Australia and Fiji in September.

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.

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.

EXCLUSIVE: When it comes to Shaun Edwards and rugby, emotion usually drives everything. But Saturday's Wales clash is strictly business. He does not do teary-eyed returns.

Wales have brought in Ross Moriarty and Gareth Davies for their next Six Nations match against France as Wayne Pivac made two changes for the Cardiff Test.

WILL KELLEHER AT PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: And so the fortress has fallen. After 10 years of being out-gunned in Cardiff, the French revolution is well and truly alive.

As Sportsmail reported last month, full back Liam Williams has made a swift departure from under-fire European and English champions Saracens after their salary cap disaster.

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 be hopeful Dan Biggar does not spark a backline injury crisis ahead of their Six Nations match against England after going off early for Northampton on Saturday against Saracens.

Sky are in line to secure a £300million agreement to screen the competition from 2021, leaving terrestrial channels BBC and ITV on the margins with potentially huge implications for the sport.

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.

Wales wing Hallam Amos will miss the rest of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations due to a knee injury. Amos sustained the injury during the Cardiff Blues' Guinness PRO14 victory over Benetton.

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.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: There are some things much more important than sport, and when something like the coronavirus comes along rugby has to step into line.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Mark Wilson and Anthony Watson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final against Wales on Saturday.

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.