Toby Booth has underlined the importance of breaking the impasse at the top of the Welsh game amid heightened concerns among players.
Wales flanker Dan Lydiate has also explained why players are increasingly worried about the failure to settle on a way forward for the professional arm of the sport this side of the River Severn.
The issue causing problems is the perennial one relating to funding for Cardiff Rugby, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets. They are receiving a £23.5million payment from the Welsh Rugby Union for this season but don’t feel it is enough to adequately cover their costs. A fresh package worth around £32million annually for five years has been proposed, but it comes with major strings attached.
Read more: Nine players nailed on to start against All Blacks but big name sweating on their places
In the meantime, and without knowing their budgets for next term, a freeze has been put on contract negotiations at the regions, prompting anxiety among players. There are also fears among some that pay cuts of between 10 and 20 percent could be heading the way of certain individuals.
Now Ospreys head coach Booth has waded in, saying those running the Swansea.com Stadium region have made an effort to keep players informed of developments but also stressing how urgently the deadlock between the WRU and the regions needed to be dealt with.
Asked how difficult the logjam and issues over contracts made it to plan, he replied: “It’s pretty hard — impossible. It’s not just the rugby. Everybody knows what the rugby backdrop looks like. Everyone knows what the economic backdrop looks like. And uncertainty is a massive distraction.
“People have mortgages to pay and security is massively important. So the sooner we can get to a resolution and give clarity on those aspects is really important.
“But we are also mindful that it’s out of our hands. We are hoping we can get some resolution on where we can move forward as quickly as possible.”
Booth insisted there was a positive flow of information at the Ospreys, with players kept in the picture about developments. “We talk about it," he said. "We talk about the elephant in the room, for sure, because we want to be transparent and as trusting with each other in our relationships about where everything is, and not leave it to pub talk.
“So I’d rather get out in front and Nick Garcia, our CEO, has been good in that area. You have to be empathetic around it.
“All I can say, from our point of view, is that our boys have been great. They understand it, they’ve not let it affect them in relation to their preparation and they understand it’s there. There’s been a lot of turmoil with Welsh rugby and there’s a bit of scar tissue around it, whether it’s supposed mergers or financial situations or whatever — they’ve lived through a lot of it for longer than I have.”
As Booth hints, none of this is new to Welsh rugby. Three years ago, amid Project Reset — the proposed programme to restructure regional rugby — delays in implementing a new pay system and contracts caused a number of players to seek psychological help, with some said to be "petrified" of potential consequences.
Similar issues are now causing worry again.
At 34, Lydiate has seen most of what there is to see in Welsh rugby. But he confirmed players had been talking about the current issues.
“It’s your livelihood at the end of the day,” he said. “The world is all upside down at the minute, not just in rugby but in all walks of life. With the energy crisis and everything, everyone’s finding it hard.
“Everyone talks about it [the impasse in Welsh rugby], but as players all we can do is focus on playing our best on Saturday and putting our best foot forward. That’s all we can control.
“The powers that be control everything else. It’s above our pay grade. We’re waiting on them to sort it out.
“For us, we just have to stay focused on the challenge in hand and for those who are selected, that’s the game at the weekend. There’s nothing else we can do.”
WalesOnline had been told the concerns were such that some players might even support industrial action, but that isn’t the official line from their union, with the Welsh Rugby Players Association taking to their website to issue a statement and say they didn’t "condone or support any industrial action at this point in time".
The statement said: “As an association, we want to clarify that neither the team of staff or members have had any input into yesterday’s article in the press relating to financial deals and potential strike action. We have not passed comment, and as a collective, do not condone or support any industrial action at this point in time.
“We are actively engaging in communication with all stakeholders (regions and WRU), to build relationships that enable us to effectively represent professional players in Wales and their welfare and best interests. We will continue with this ‘player welfare’ centred approach, with a priority of having an active involvement in all discussions pertinent to the financial models and future of the game in Wales. The WRPA have not been consulted to date but are actively rallying for a regular seat at the table, to ensure the players views’ are considered moving forward.”
READ MORE:
Alex Cuthbert becomes major doubt for Wales' autumn games as Pivac's problems pile up
Final World Rugby rankings published before autumn battles begin
England v Germany fan fight puts five in hospital as 100 Germans storm pub
