WALES rugby coach Warren Gatland delayed naming his side to face England on Tuesday (Feb 21), with the threat of a players’ strike still hanging over the fixture.
The news of the delay broke just minutes before the scheduled team announcement at midday. However, a press conference with Warren Gatland was scheduled after the postponed announcement at 12:30. That took place,and the Welsh coach offered a candid view of the issues affecting players.
Although Warren Gatland said he did not regret returning to Wales, he observed he wished he’d had a fuller picture of the Welsh game’s state beforehand.
The New Zealander confirmed he knew nothing about the players’ concerns and the situation regarding their contracts until after the Scotland game and was not told about them by the WRU when he agreed to return as Wales coach.
As things stand, more than seventy players contracted to the current Welsh regions will be out of contract by June. Those players have no guarantee they will be re-engaged, even on financially worse terms, and cannot negotiate with clubs outside Wales to secure their playing futures and incomes.
However, the Welsh coach said money is not at the top of the players’ grievances: “The players have said it’s not about money. I’m well aware the regions have been living outside of their means a little and that will be addressed.”
The New Zealander, who last week suggested that the same situation in his home country would be resolved by a meeting between all parties being locked in a room until they resolved their difficulties, added: “I think players have been given assurances that things will be sorted out, but unfortunately they haven’t. It finally came to a head. I think we’re all asking for things to get sorted.”
While the players insist their voice must be heard on the Professional Rugby Board, the best the Board has come up with is an invitation to the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association head to sit in on their meetings, subject to an invitation.
While it might be well-meant, that olive branch is unlikely to soothe players’ wish to have a say in decisions that affect them and their welfare.
Warren Gatland added: “What the players were asking for is reasonable. You have to find some middle ground. Hopefully the discussions today find something that everyone is happy with. It’s not always one side winning. It’s about finding some compromise.”
However, he was under no illusion about the strike threat, saying: “It is genuine, no doubt about that. But having spoken to a few people today, I’m fairly confident it will be resolved.”
Asked point blank if he had a contingency plan if all or part of the squad went on strike, Gatland’s one-word answer said more than any amount of waffle about “securing the future of the game”.
It was: “No.”
However, he added: “I don’t think there’ll be any lack of motivation for playing England. They’re off today and then they’ll come back fired up on Thursday.”