Warren Gatland has aired his views on reports that Wales players plan to strike instead of lining up against England in the Six Nations, while Alun Wyn Jones has confirmed that the threat is real.
The Wales head coach says that he would not back the decision of his players to strike but supports the cause.
A contract freeze is preventing Welsh regions from negotiating extensions with their players. While Gatland insists he supports the cause, he would disagree if the players decide to boycott the match against England.
Gatland won’t support a strike
Asked if he would support that course of action, Gatland replied: “No.
“I completely support the stance that they’re taking in terms of wanting to get some resolution of the issues that they have, but I think there’s a lot more involved, a lot of things at stake in terms of ensuring that that fixture does take place.
“Like I’ve said, I’m supportive of the players and the things that they’re trying to do, and my role is just to prepare the team for next week.”
Gatland’s comments came after the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association said “players have had enough” amid the continuing uncertainty with strike action by the national team a possibility.
Reaction in training
When asked if the disagreement had affected his playing squad, Gatland said that his players have been training well in the past few days.
“The players have been great in the last few days in terms of the way they’ve (trained),” Gatland said.
“They’ve got a side issue or a separate issue that they want sorting, but when it’s come to the rugby in terms of preparing for the game, they’ve been fantastic in the way that they’ve prepared in the last few days.
“Obviously, there’s been ongoing discussions with them and hopefully with the union and the PRGB (Professional Regional Game Board) to get things sorted out.”
An unnamed player told SportsMail that the situation has led to him taking anti-depressants. Gatland insisted he was unaware of that, and that he would not expect to be given such confidential information by medical staff if that were the case.
Alun Wyn Jones on the strike
At the same press conference, former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones said that a strike was the last thing that anyone wanted. However, he added that it is the result of being mistreated and that the threat is real.
“We’re fortunate that we’re all involved in a sport and a job we love,” he said.
“To fathom the fact we might not do that because of the severity of the situation is very real, but it’s the last thing we want to do.
“I can tell you every player wants to play rugby. We’re fully aware of the privilege that we have, whether that be regional or international, but we can’t be under the guillotine and be used in the emotive side of things when ultimately, this is a career and a job.
“Again, being caught in the middle and held to ransom at times on other people’s issues, with the same people in the region who have issued these contracts now being the ones to try and get out of it, it’s hard to fathom, having been involved in the game for such a long time.”
“If you treat people badly for long enough”
Jones was asked if the possibility of strike action was real, and he replied: “I suppose it is.
“It’s hard to deny, but it’s the very last option. There are people who are really impassioned.
“Ultimately, if you treat people badly for long enough, you get to where we find ourselves. Again, we realise what we do and how fortunate we are to do it, but if this was any other line of work or any other industry for this period of time with this amount of uncertainty, you’d get the same reaction.
“We’re very respectful to society as a whole. But it comes to a point now where the game in Wales has to make a decision in which way it wants to go.”
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