Wales squad pushed closer to Six Nations strike as tensions with WRU rise

PA
Nick Purewal17 February 2023

Wales's enraged players have been pushed closer to a Six Nations strike, after feeling that WRU chiefs are boiling their protests down to money.

The squad has an increasing chance of walking out next week, just days before the Six Nations clash with England in Cardiff on February 25.

Alun Wyn Jones refused to rule out a strike yesterday, while head coach Warren Gatland revealed sympathy for his players but urged against industrial action. Wales ordered Netflix’s Six Nations documentary cameras out of a press conference while the subject was discussed.

“The WRU has tried to make it look as though all the players care about is money, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” a source told Standard Sport.

“Everything from governance to administration, to organisation and general planning needs an overhaul. No other professional teams in a tier-one Test nation would ever be unable to offer or agree new contracts for the next season at this stage of a current campaign.

“All this should have been resolved well before Christmas. Players and families cannot plan their lives for four months’ time. Players are worried about the very future of the professional game in Wales, not just their own situations – and the union would do well to realise that.

“The players resent being painted as selfish and money focused, and hope that the public will understand why they are taking a stand in the sport’s wider interest.”

Wales's player union have called for a way forward by Wednesday, or they will vote on strike action.

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