Richard Cockerill has warned England to beware a Wales team bonded closer together by the threat of strike action.
England’s Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, February 25 has been thrown into doubt by internal strife caused by WRU uncertainty.
The Welsh governing body has still been unable to finalise funding for the four unions for next season, with players out of contract in the summer still unable to sign new deals.
The unrest has reached breaking point, but England assistant coach Cockerill believes that will only increase the threat posed by Warren Gatland’s side at the Principality Stadium.
“I think if anything it will probably galvanise them because they have their issues,” said Cockerill. “I don’t really understand what the politics of it is but from my experience any hardship with a playing group generally brings them tighter together.
“We’ll start to get into Wales next week. We’ll treat them with respect as we always do. England have always found it difficult in Cardiff but we are preparing and getting our minds purely around that. What Wales are doing with their players is not really our concern.”
Allegations of sexism and misogyny led to WRU chief executive Steve Phillips resigning last month. Nigel Walker has stepped into the breach as interim CEO, but the WRU has still been unable to plot a course to the future.
The WRU took out a £20million loan in the Covid-19 pandemic, splitting those funds between all four regions.
Cardiff, Ospreys, Scarlets and the Dragons must now pay their £5million share back in 20 years, amid 10 per cent annual interest rates. The regions will face budget cuts for next season as a result, but no financial agreements are in place for next term.
Scores of players in Wales remain out of contract at the end of the season, with new deals still not appearing in sight any time soon. The Welsh regions are braced for a clutch of exits, with players looking at options in England and beyond.
