the planet and had deservedly led the British & Irish Lions on three tours. Wales' successes during this period were multi-faceted, much like the failures are now, with a golden generation of player not seen since the halcyon days of the 1970s at his disposal.
But Gatland created a tough, no-nonsense winning culture which allowed players to thrive. In the early days Welsh rugby had not seen a coach like Gatland before and it was a shock to the system the game in this country so desperately needed.
Gatland was pure x-factor on and off the pitch. Who can forget the against-the-odds victory at Twickenham in 2015 which dumped England out of their own World Cup, or the 25-7 thrashing of Ireland to seal the Grand Slam in 2019?
At one stage under Gatland Wales were even ranked number one in the world rankings. It could have been even better if some narrow defeats against southern hemisphere nations had been turned into victories, or if Alain Rolland had not given Sam Warburton his marching orders in that agonising World Cup semi-final defeat to France.
Gatland's overall record stands at 151 matches with 76 wins, 73 defeats and two draws. The two spells couldn't be more contrasting but the majority of Welsh rugby fans will remember Gatland for the remarkable success he brought the nation between 2008-19.
His impact on Welsh rugby will live long in the memory.