Warren Gatland

Reuters reports Gatland was due to name his team on Wednesday, but held off with angry Welsh players to meet the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which runs the game in the country, on Thursday in a bid to end their impasse and ward off a possible strike.

"I think with the uncertainty that was happening, there's a lot of meetings. I just wanted clarity for the boys with tomorrow then we come back (to train) on Friday," Gatland told reporters.

Gatland, who has returned to New Zealand after his third stint as the British and Irish Lions coach in South Africa this year, has selected Hawke's Bay's Frank Lochore, the grandson of legendary late All Black Sir Brian Lochore, in his squad.

Lochore made his provincial debut as a loose forward for the Magpies this season.

Simmonds, the Exeter number eight and current European player of the year, has been picked by Gatland despite being consistently overlooked by England since winning the last of his seven caps in 2018.

He is joined by fellow bolters and centres Bundee Aki of Ireland and Scotland’s Chris Harris, with Manu Tuilagi left out as he approaches his comeback from an Achilles injury.

However, Sexton is unable to force his way into the 37-man squad announced by Gatland, as are Jonathan Davies, Sam Underhill, Billy Vunipola and Josh Navidi.

The Chiefs on Saturday slumped to a ninth successive loss, including all eight of their matches in Super Rugby Aotearoa, capped by a 31-18 loss to the Wellington Hurricanes.

Gatland, who returned to New Zealand after 12 years in charge of Wales, is taking a leave of absence to concentrate on the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa next year, with McMillan stepping in as Chiefs coach.

"We're disappointed but we'll learn a heck of a lot from this and will make us stronger as a unit and better going forward," Gatland said after their final match.

Gatland told The Telegraph that he was one of the 26 New Zealanders in the running to be the next All Blacks head coach, vacated by Steve Hansen after the World Cup, but he's chosen to stick with his commitment to lead the Lions to South Africa in 2021 instead.

"They (NZR) appreciated it, they understood it," Gatland said. "I just think it would look poor me applying [for the All Blacks job]. It wouldn't sit well with me, having already made those commitments to the other two parties."

He said he also wanted to remain faithful to the Chiefs, who he signed with in June.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is set to step down after Friday's third-place match against Wales in Tokyo after the two-time defending world champions were stunned by England in the semi-final.

Gatland is also poised to depart Wales following 12 years in charge as he prepares to coach the Lions in South Africa in 2021, while he has also signed on to lead Super Rugby outfit the Chiefs on a four-year deal.

Tew, who will also vacate his position at the end of the year, poured cold water on the prospect of the 56-year-old New Zealander replacing Hansen.

Gatland was speaking after his team had been beaten 19-16 by South Africa, who now face Jones’s men on Saturday in a repeat of the 2007 showpiece.

Meanwhile, Wales face the All Blacks in the bronze final 24 hours earlier – which was Gatland’s last match as boss.

“Well, guys, can you just send my best wishes to Warren to make sure he enjoys the third and fourth place play-off?” Jones said at a press conference.

"He'd do a great job as Lions coach. 3-0 would be expected. It's probably the easiest of the three tours isn't it?" Gatland said after naming his Wales side to face Jones' England in the Six Nations on Sunday.

Gatland coached the last two Lions tours to Australia in 2013 and his native New Zealand last year but says Australian Jones is the best man to handle the next one.

"I'm learning from him. He's doing a great job so I'm watching him pretty closely," Gatland added.

Players from around the globe have been attracted to play in England's Premiership as a result of the large amounts of money being offered.

But Gatland told The Rugby Paper allowing foreign players to shine could ultimately be at the expense of the national side.

"You can understand people doing the best for their clubs and competitions, but you have to look at the bigger picture. What drives rugby globally is the international game. They're the things we need to consider and protect," he said.

The Irish flanker said the team was over-trained ahead of the first test, which the All Blacks won 30-15, and the drawn third test.

"To be honest, I'd be pretty critical of it because I think we should have won the tour and we probably should have won it comfortably," O'Brien said in an interview with OffTheBall.com.