The Welsh Rugby Union have confirmed that they will be discussing a contract extension with head coach Warren Gatland next week.

The New Zealander has been in charge of the national side since 2007 and also led the British and Irish Lions to a series win over Australia during the summer.

"We've started talking. We have to start that planning for the national team now," WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said, according to Sky Sports News.

"We had a great night on the Sunday after that third Lions Test in Sydney, we're going away [this week], just the two of us, take some time off-site and then we'll have a better idea of what's happening post-2015.

"We run a five-year cycle and that's the attitude we've brought into the game here in Wales, and that's the conversation we'll have. [The contract discussions] will be over a beer. I'll ask him, 'How do you feel? What do you think about the future?' And that will take as long as it takes."

Wales have won two Six Nations grand slam and reached the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup under Gatland.