Kiwi rugby coach Warren Gatland has passionately ruled himself out of coaching future British and Irish Lions tours, saying comments made by one of his players after this year's drawn series with the All Blacks was the final straw.
In a sour interview after Welsh Rugby's announcement around their changed selection standards for national sides this morning, Gatland said he "hated" this year's tour and was officially finished with the Lions.
The decision was spurred from Sean O'Brien's criticism last month when the Irish flanker said poor management cost the team the drawn series he believes they should've won 3-0.
"Those comments were disrespectful to New Zealand," he said.
The Lions' coach says his side have been welcomed everywhere they go.
"I hated the tour. I just hated the press and the negativity in New Zealand. I'm done [with the Lions].
"When I look back on it now, there were a lot of things that were satisfying and what an achievement it was, but it was tough work.
"You watch how hard the coaches and the backroom staff worked - they worked their absolute nuts off - and then to have someone [O'Brien] come out and make a comment like that... it really, really did hurt. It took the gloss off the tour."
The Lions' coach showed he can take a joke with this post-match gem.
The Waikato legend was subject to criticism on the tour from both UK and Kiwi media outlets, including being portrayed as a clown in a caricature by a New Zealand newspaper.
However, after his team drew 15-15 with the All Blacks at Eden Park in the third Test to leave the series in a stalemate, Gatland was recognised for a successful result from a difficult tour.
The Lions coach says it's water off a duck's back for him but it's only helping his team gain momentum.
Gatland had suggested in July, immediately after the 1-1 series with the All Blacks, he could could be prepared for a third tour at the helm having previously led the team to a 2-1 series win in Australia in 2013, but in this year's aftermath he said that's no longer the case.
"I wouldn't subject myself to that," he said.
"What I've learned from my Lions experiences is how difficult it is to put some continuity together in terms of people and staff, and the lack of preparation time. Let someone else do it."
The Lions will tour South Africa in 2021.
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