The Welsh Federation (WRU) and the Six Nations Tournament are breathing. The match between Wales and England, scheduled for Saturday in Cardiff, will take place, while the players of the XV at Leek threatened to strike. The captain Ken Owens made the announcement on Thursday.
A contractual dispute between the Welsh professionals and the WRU cast uncertainty over the holding of this poster for the third day of the competition. The Federation’s acting chief executive, Nigel Walker, also said the risk of a strike had been ruled out.
Welsh rugby has been going through a period of sporting and economic crisis for three years. The return last December of coach Warren Gatland, with whom the selection won three Grand Slams (2008, 2012 and 2019) and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup twice (2011 and 2019), did not instant not allowed to stop this negative spiral. The Tournament began with two heavy defeats, against Ireland at the Millenium Stadium (10-34) then in Scotland (35-7).
Tensions on wages and the rule of 60 selections
The problem is also financial, since the Federation and the four provinces (Ospreys, Cardiff, Newport, Scarlets) seek to reduce their costs, in particular by lowering the wages of the players. This triggered the revolt of internationals, who also demanded that the rule of 60 selections necessary for a player playing abroad to play for his country be canceled.
Tuesday, the announcement of the 23 elements selected to face England had been postponed in extremis because of its tensions. “I just wanted to clear things up for the guys and we’ll be back on Thursday to announce the team,” Gatland said. Normally, that’s what should happen.