Chiefs coach Warren Gatland has recalled the moment he found out he'd be playing against son Bryn, before last night's dramatic Super Rugby encounter against the Highlanders.
With Gatland junior rushed into the side as a late replacement for the injured Josh Ioane, the 25-year-old came up with the decisive moment to secure the Highlanders' win, with a late drop goal sealing the 28-27 victory.
However, as Warren Gatland fronted media in Dunedin after his side's defeat, the Chiefs' coach revealed that son Bryn had attempted to cheekily withold the information that he'd be playing from his own father.
"We actually went out to dinner last night and I got a text to say Josh Ioane was out," said Warren Gatland.
"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."
Gatland also did hail the composure of his son, even if it did cost the Chiefs a victory in the opening match of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
"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."
The match was just the second time the Gatland father and son have faced off, with Bryn playing for the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians against Warren's British and Irish Lions in 2017.
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