Wales' Six Nations clash with England will go ahead as planned on Saturday after players opted not to follow through on threats to go on strike.
The players have been the victims of the Professional Rugby Board negotiating a new long-term financial framework for the game in Wales which has resulted in a freeze on offering new contracts.
A deadline had been set for Wednesday with the players demanding a reduction for the 60-cap rule, a player representative on the PRB, and an end to the idea of fixed variable contracts.
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The players were granted their wish to a certain degree with the 60-cap law dropping to 25 and confirmation the contractual freeze would be lifted next week. Players will also be offered a choice between negotiating fixed or variable contracts.
Acting Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Nigel Walker and Wales captain Ken Owens faced the press after an extraordinary meeting between WRU officials and players.
Here's what they had to say:
Q: How happy are the players with what they've heard today?
KO: "We are obviously happy. There has been huge frustration over the last number of months, and it is disappointing that it got to this stage.
"We felt we had to make a stand, but the conversations that have taken place over the last 10 days or so have shown that some positive resolutions can be found, and we can continue to do that in the future, and we don't end up in a position like this in the future.
"The players are satisfied, hence why the game is on Saturday.
"It has been very tough, hugely frustrating. It has been a difficult period over the last year-18 months, and hopefully we don't end up here again.
"We have fronted up in training and prepared as we would for any Test match, and we are looking forward to getting out there on Saturday and going toe to toe with England.
"Of course it has been a distraction with everything that has been going on, but I have got to commend the players' professionalism in this. When we have crossed that white line at training, we've prepared well and done our work as professional players. We are really ready for Saturday.
"It has got to be a long-term solution. Welsh rugby can't keep going on this merry-go-round of crisis after crisis, because it is affecting everyone in the game. We need to pull together now and find the best way forward, and do it together to put Welsh rugby at the top end of world rugby, and not the laughing stock, which I think we are at the moment."
Q: The players asked for a reduction to the 60-cap law and a seat on the PRB. Did they get those?
NW: "Gareth Lewis, chief exec of the WRPA, attended his first PRB meeting today. He has got a standing invite, and he will be invited to the rugby management board.
"With regard to the 60-cap rule, that rule is still there, but the number of caps has been reduced to 25."
Q: What about the variable element to the players' contracts?
NW: "Going forward, we will have a hybrid model where there will be a fixed and variable, but there will also be a solely fixed model, and the agent, player and region can choose which one they want to have discussions about."
Q: Are you convinced this isn't just going to paper over the cracks and that there's a long-term solution?
KO: "There's got to be a long-term solution because Welsh rugby can't keep going on this merry-go-round of crisis after crisis because it's affecting everybody in the game from players, supporters, administrators, grass roots clubs and everybody.
"After the events of the last five to six weeks I think everybody in Welsh rugby needs to pull together to find the best way forward.
"We need to do it collaboratively together to put Welsh rugby back at the top end of world rugby and not the laughing stock which I think we are at the moment.
"I think we can do that with the collaboration which has been agreed."
Q: As one of the senior Test players how important was it for you to make a stand this week?
KO: "I think it's definitely important because it's not just us in the Welsh squad who are being affected by it in terms of contracting and all the rest of it. It's the regional players and the younger players coming through who are going to be affected by this. They have also been affected by all this.
"We are in a position of, I wouldn't say power, but of influence in what we've done and achieved in the game that we can speak out for everybody in Welsh rugby."
Q: How are you going to make sure we don't end up in this position again?
NW: "I think the important thing to say is we've had some robust conversations over the last week. The relationship between Ken and I has not been affected. I understand totally the position the players were in and we as the PRB shouldn't have put them in that position.
"So, once you recognise that you put them in a difficult position and they responded the way they responded you know you've got something wrong. We are going to make sure we don't get into this position again.
"There's a number of things we've got to do to ensure this dialogue continues every week and every month from here on in so any issues, and there are always issues within any organisation, are dealt with swiftly so that we don't get into this position again."
Q: Ken said Welsh rugby is a laughing stock. Do you agree with him?
NW: "Ken has used that phrase ‘laughing stock’. I’ll let other people decide whether we are a laughing stock. It’s been an unedifying period for us – there are no two ways about it. It is my job over the next six months to make sure we’re not having conversations like this in the future."
Q: Ken, was the strike threat always there? No bluffing?
KO: "In the conversations we’ve had – Nigel and I have spoken a little bit more [than others have] – the resolve has been there. I can tell you, he understood where the camp was coming from. If need be the boys were prepared to do what we needed to do. Thankfully that hasn’t happened."
Q: How close are you to lifting the freeze on offering contracts to players?
NW: "We’ve announced to the wider playing group in Wales that contracts will start to be offered next week."
Q: Will the deal with the regions be completed soon too?
NW: "That will be completed soon but we recognise that we need to start offering contracts to players who are concerned about their futures. The regions agreed to do that with the PRB today.
"We are moving forward, there is some good news, but you don’t have to have an absolute crisis before you can deliver good news."
Q: What would you say to young rugby players in Wales, looking at what’s happened, wondering if it’s the sport for them?
NW: "That is the concern. I had six years playing the sport that I loved. I’ve been working as a performance director, been to games all over the country, male and female, and I’ve seen the enjoyment it can bring. What I would say to any parent who’s thinking of taking their boy, or girl, to play that it is the sport for them, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had, and it doesn’t have to be like the past three or four weeks.
"We are, as a union and organisation, committed to providing opportunities for boys and girls the length and breadth of the country. Those with exceptional talent can rise to the top and one day be standing where Ken is standing and perhaps even lead their country out, and to glory. Those are the days we want to get back to because we’ve punched above our weight for a number of years. We can get back to those glory days, I firmly believe that."
Q: Is the 25-cap rule immediate?
NW: "It is immediate, absolutely."
Q: In terms of the player rep on the PRB will Gareth Lewis be a voting member?
NW: "I haven’t seen the documentation, but the decision has been made in the last 24 hours. Just like he contributed today, fully, we’d expect him to contribute fully going forward."
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