Rugby-Jenkins and Rowntree join Lions coaching team

March 16 (Reuters) - Warren Gatland has added coaches Neil Jenkins and Graham Rowntree to his British and Irish Lions backroom team for the 2017 tour of New Zealand in June. The pair will be touring with the Lions for the fifth time -- twice as players and three times as coaches, including the successful series in Australia in 2013. "They understand what it will take to win in New Zealand and to have them on board again is positive," head coach Gatland said in a statement. Jenkins, Wales' skills coach, and Rowntree, who is forwards coach with Premiership club Harlequins, join Steve Borthwick, Andy Farrell and Rob Howley to complete Gatland's staff. "Given the schedule, with two games a week, having six coaches will allow us to devote enough time to ensuring we are successful," Gatland added. "I believe we have a coaching team that will get the best out of what will be a highly talented and motivated group of players capable of winning the test series." The Lions travel to New Zealand for three tests starting in June when they will bid to beat the All Blacks for the first time since 1971. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru,; Editing by Neville Dalton)