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Wales warn England over Warren Gatland with Lancaster's job in doubt

Wales have issued a hands-off warning to the Rugby Football Union over their head coach Warren Gatland.

Gatland has been linked with the England job after the pressure increased on incumbent head coach Stuart Lancaster for his failure to lead the country beyond the group stage.

The hosts' disappointing World Cup campaign will be dissected by the RFU's five-man review panel and its verdict on England's early exit will cover the performance of the coaching team.

Reports in British newspapers The Times and the Mirror claim it would cost the RFU around £1.2 million to buy the Kiwi out of his current contract with Wales.

"Why would we even consider letting Warren go anywhere -- especially England?" WRU chairman Gareth Davies said. "He is happy here and we are very happy to have him. He has been hugely successful for us and has another four years remaining on his contract.

"Yes, there would be a buy-out clause from his current contact but for us, it's not about money. His service is something you can't necessarily put a price on.

"From Warren's perspective, I know he is happy here and he couldn't face the thought of not being welcome back in Wales ... if he joined England."

Gatland is contracted with Wales until 2019, having signed a new deal with the WRU two years' ago. There was speculation about his future rose after Wales overcame a long injury list to beat England and advance from Pool A alongside Australia.

In the aftermath of Wales' 28-25 victory at Twickenham, Gatland joked that England "couldn't afford him".

Gatland, who led the British & Irish Lions to victory in Australia two years' ago, has taken Wales to the semifinals and quarterfinals of the last two World Cups.

According to Davies, Gatland will now get final say on whether his backroom staff will be handed new deals, with both Shaun Edwards and Robin McBryde coming to the end of their contracts.

"He's done some really good work," Davies said. "If you look at all the difficulties we've had in this competition ... the fact is that we've performed better than the expectation, when you consider all the injuries we've had.

"So, Warren has a contract that lasts another four years so it's up to him to assess who he wants for Wales. I'm not really interested in all this talk in the papers of who wants him because that fact is he's under contract with the Welsh Rugby Union."