These are your rugby headlines on Friday February 17.
Warburton: What needs to happen now
Former Wales and Lions skipper Sam Warburton has followed up his incisive column for the Times on the current crisis rocking Welsh rugby with a series of suggestions of what needs to happen next to sort it out.
Among his ideas is the formation of three new regions and a much stronger Welsh Premiership below them.
READ MORE: Sam Warburton backs 'shafted' players to strike and claims region close to entering administration
Warburton wrote on Twitter: "1/2 - In light of this, either 2 things seem obvious that need to happen. 1. Adequately fund the regions so they are not doomed for a lack of success 2. Be honest, and admit that one region has to go and Welsh rugby is only viable with 3 professional entities.
"2/2 - that’s either 3 new teams, North, East and West regions, or sadly remove/merge two regions. They say don’t fix what’s not broken. Well it’s clearly broken, so something needs fixing. Thoughts?
"PS - If 3 new regions were chosen, I would create a 10-team league strong semi-pro Premiership and bring back your Cardiff, Newport, Llanelli, Swansea etc and all non first team Pro players have a state of origin club they are able to play for. Make it like NZ NPC."
Responding to Warburton's suggestion, former team-mate-turned-fellow-pundit James Hook said: "Investing in the Premiership is a no brainer, Warbs. The gap between semi pro and pro is way too big. We need our young players playing a good standard because going forward the regions will have to rely on the premiership and academy players!"
Conan: Fair play to Wales players
Ireland star Jack Conan says he takes his hat off to the players in Wales for the stand they are currently taking amid contract uncertainty, which you can read more about here.
Conan says the situation over the other side of the Irish Sea has been discussed in the Ireland camp this week and that he hopes a favourable resolution can be found.
The back row played with a number of Wales players for the Lions in 2021 and feels for them at present.
“Some of the lads were chatting about it earlier,” said Conan. “Obviously Tadhg Beirne was here briefly earlier and he would have a better understanding from his time in Wales.
“It’s obviously tough to hear with lads who you’ve played with and you know from competing with are in that situation.
“At the end of the day, it’s a job and lads in that position have no job security, so hopefully they sort it out and I hope for the competition’s sake the game goes ahead but fair play to the lads in Wales, I’m sure they’re making some tough decisions about it and hopefully they’ll come out on the right side of it.”
Would you support Welsh rugby players taking strike action amid contracts turmoil? Have your say here
Dragons coach vows to honour deals
Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan says they will honour verbal agreements with players if they succumb to injury during Welsh rugby's contract freeze..
Dragons player Jack Dixon spoke eloquently and emotionally about his own situation, with his contract set to end at Rodney Parade in a matter of months. Flanagan said that the region will honour verbal offers with many of his players worried about injury.
"I am very transparent with the players, I haven't sugarcoated anything about where the game is at financially in Wales," he said.
“It's not nice to hear but we have been open and honest, we have offered a lot of verbal contracts and players know they are valued here if they choose to stay.
“I do know one stress on players is injury. They are playing without contracts, and I have told them we will honour that now that they have had verbal contract. That's the right thing to do, we can't offer a verbal contract, then suddenly go 'by the way, we are going to take the money off you because of an injury picked up representing our region'."
England have no concerns over Lawes
England coach Richard Cockerill says they would have no qualms in throwing in Courtney Lawes straight into the fray against Wales.
Northampton man Lawes has had limited game-time for his club in recent times and last played for England in July.
"Depending on how he trains, there's probably no concern over picking him," scrum coach Cockerill said.
Lawes has been dealing with glute and calf injuries, as well as a concussion.
Cockerill added: "He's an experienced player and he's had injuries previously and come back in and played well for club and country, so that doesn't really concern us when it comes to a guy of his stature."
READ MORE:
Alun Wyn Jones says strike threat is real as Gatland admits he would not support it
The full transcript of the tense Wales press conference as Gatland says 'don't blame players'
Welsh rugby fans' favourite quits with immediate effect after head injury
Wales rugby team walk out of huge WRU sponsors dinner early in premeditated decision
