Returning head coach Warren Gatland has said he will not name his Wales team to face England in the Six Nations today (Tuesday), as originally planned due to strike deadline being given by the players as Wednesday (tomorrow).
Due to the absurd contractual uncertainty on many of the players they are threatening strike action in this weekends home fixture against England which would cost the WRU an estimated £9m. They have given the WRU until Wednesday (tomorrow) for a deal to be agreed.
Despite months of discussions, the Welsh Rugby Union and the four Wales professional regions – Dragons, Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets – have not signed off on a six-year financial agreement.
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Some of the requests:
The players want a place at Professional Rugby Board board meetings
The removal of the contentious 60-cap rule, where a player cannot play for their country if they play for a club outside of Wales unless they have 60 caps
The players are also concerned about contracts having fixed-variable elements that could account for 20 per cent of their salaries. This would include factors like form, game time and availability.
Those contracts would guarantee a player only 80 per cent of their salary, with the remaining 20 per cent comprising bonuses.
Gatland has assure everyone stating that the threat of the strike has not impacted his training sessions.
“The boys have been great in training. I have just got to put all that sort of stuff aside and make sure that we focus on the game,” the Wales boss said last week.
“It hasn’t been the easiest few weeks, but sometimes that focuses the mind and gives you the resolve to focus on the job at hand, and that is preparing the team the best way we possibly can as a group as coaches for next week.”
Its the first time in 16 years that Wales have lost their opening two games of the Six Nations.