One of rugby's greatest rivalries may be at risk of collapsing amid the recent revolt in Wales, but Warren Gatland remains confident Saturday's Six Nations clash with England will go ahead.
Wales' team announcement was postponed on Tuesday following recent revelations that the country's professional players plan to strike unless they receive more clarity over their playing futures. The Welsh Rugby Union has failed to give players any precise plan for the future of the regions and national team beyond this summer, but Gatland presented an assured front in the face of massive uncertainty.
“No," replied the national team boss when asked if he had any assurances the game in Cardiff will definitely be played this weekend. "But I’m confident it’ll go ahead. Players have probably had about half a dozen meetings in the last few days. It’s been a bit of a challenge but sometimes that galvanises people."
Gatland, 59, boasted a 55 percent win rate from his first spell as Wales chief between 2008 and 2019, but the team have lost two from two since his return. The reality of Welsh rugby's current quagmire has been exposed by spectacular defeats to Ireland and Scotland, but any failure to field a team against England would represent a new low.
Ashton Hewitt, who chairs the body representing Wales' professional players, has said strikes at the country's regional clubs are also possible unless certain demands are met. The players have set a deadline for Wednesday to receive certain assurances, such as seeking player representation on the board and seeing the 60-cap rule for foreign-based players scrapped.
"My understanding is that the players have requested a number of things to be looked at and there’s discussions are taking place today," added Gatland. "[The 60-cap rule is] one of the things being discussed and discussions are taking place today. Everyone has spoken before about the 60-cap rule and it does give the players a greater opportunity in terms of preparation. There’s an advantage in being based in Wales.”
When asked if he felt the threat of strikes was a genuine one, Gatland responded that there was "no doubt" players were willing to follow through if it came to that. It's been projected that Saturday's match against England could raise £10million, which is far too sizeable for the WRU to leave on the table in its current state.
It's understood the split of guaranteed and variable income is a key point for players in Wales, with the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) offering 80 percent guaranteed wages and rest based on incentives, such as win bonuses. However, this has received heavy criticism considering the poor state of Welsh rugby's resources compared to other unions in the Six Nations and the domestic club league, the United Rugby Championship.
Gatland gave his players the afternoon off after training on Tuesday and added they'll return to their preparations on Thursday given the recent 'whirlwind' they've had to endure. "I wasn’t aware of any of the issues [when I returned in December]," the coach continued, acknowledging he felt the players' requests were reasonable. "I wish I’d known a few things that were going on here! You just take it on the chin.”
