Warren Gatland has admitted he was in the dark over the mood of militancy among the Wales squad before he returned as head coach. The New Zealander delayed the announcement of his team to face England on Saturday, having originally planned to name his side on Tuesday afternoon. The Six Nations clash against Wales’ biggest rivals would have been one of the major matches he had in mind when Gatland decided to return for his second stint in charge back in December.

Wales is due to host fierce Guinness Six Nations rivals England next week – but the build-up has been engulfed by a possibility of player strike action. Contract chaos is currently centre stage in Welsh rugby, with many players – general estimates are between 70 and 100 – whose current deals expire at the end of this season have not yet received offers with their regional teams.

Angry Wales players will decide on Wednesday whether to intensify their £10m poker game with their bosses and call a strike before next week’s Six Nations clash against England. But Wales coach Warren Gatland insists he is confident the players can be convinced to keep their boots on. The New Zealander reckons a deal can be struck between his squad and the Welsh Rugby Union to avert a disastrous no-show at the Principality Stadium that would cost the Union around £10m.

Rhodri Williams has backed Dai Flanagan’s warts-and-all truthfulness as the Dragons bid to get their season back on track.  Scrum-half Williams reckons it is a time for honesty at Rodney Parade after six straight defeats in the United Rugby Championship, dating back to November. The resolve of a team going through tough times will be tested to its utmost on Saturday night, when the Dragons are in Dublin to face mighty, unbeaten, 13 straight wins URC leaders Leinster in a match that is live on S4C. 

Alun Wyn Jones has laid the blame for the Wales players’ strike threat firmly at the door of the Welsh Rugby Union. he world’s most capped rugby player and former Wales captain says the possibility of player strike action is “hard to deny” as elsh rugby finds itself gripped by a professional contracts freeze. Ultimately, if you treat people badly for long enough, you get to where we find ourselves,” said the 37-year-old Ospreys forward.

The Welsh Rugby Union and the Welsh regions have said there is “no room for manoeuvre” on the budget for player contracts in Wales despite the threat of strike action putting next week’s Six Nations fixture against England in jeopardy. Nigel Walker, the WRU’s interim chief executive, met with senior Wales players on Wednesday in an attempt to soothe relations after it emerged strike action was being considered over the contract renewals, with a meeting soon to take place between the Welsh Rugby Players Association and players.

Toby Booth, the English coach caught up in a very bloody Welsh rugby civil war, says he “would completely understand” if his Ospreys players went on strike. The top region in Wales last year, and conquerors of the French and English champions in the Heineken Champions Cup this season, the Ospreys have 14 players in the current Welsh Six Nations squad. A proposed meeting of the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association (WRPA) prior to the third-round clash between Wales and England is due to determine whether or not strike action is on the table.

Welsh rugby players have been priced at 9/2 to go on strike before their Six Nations clash at home to England. Leading Welsh bookmaker DragonBet make the chances of players downing boots in protest over contract delays and planned wage cuts an outside bet. They make the February 25 showdown at the Principality Stadium 1/6 to go ahead as planned.

The upcoming Six Nations game between Wales and England could be in doubt as Welsh rugby players threaten to go on strike over contractual concerns. Talks between the Welsh Rugby Union and the country’s four regions over a new budgetary deal have been ongoing, but nothing has been agreed upon yet, leaving players uncertain about their futures. According to the Daily Mail, professional players in Wales plan to meet soon, with striking an option that will be put on the table.

Ken Owens has told his Wales teammates to get their hard hats on and get ready for plenty more flak after the opening Six Nations hammerings to Ireland and Scotland. The Wales captain has warned the squad to prepare for “incoming grenades” ahead of the game against England in round three of the Six Nations. Owens is expecting plenty more criticism in the wake of the worst result against Scotland in the 140-year history of the fixture – a 35-7 defeat.

Warren Gatland has called on beleaguered Wales to show their mettle as they bid to snap out of the rut which has seen them crash to heavy defeats in their opening two Guinness Six Nations matches. The head coach admitted his team appear to be short of confidence after they followed up their 34-10 loss at home to Ireland with a 35-7 blitzing away to Scotland on Saturday. Gatland conceded Wales face a test of character over the next fortnight as they attempt to spark an upturn in their next match against England in Cardiff.

Llien Morgan had a tough call to make between rugby and athletics – until the Ospreys and Welsh sprinting sensation Jeremiah Azu helped make up his mind. Morgan – the quicksilver Wales U20s wing – will bid to add to his two tries against Ireland last week when he faces Scotland U20s at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow on Friday night, in a match that is live on S4C. But had he taken a different path as recently as last summer, then Morgan might have pursued an athletics career on the track rather than one with a ball under his arm for Wales.

Warren Gatland has suggested his young blood policy is only half complete with Wales youngsters Mason Grady and Keiran Williams waiting in the wings. The Wales coach left experienced trio Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric out of Wales’ starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Scotland. Now, the New Zealander has revealed he is keeping close tabs on Ospreys centre Williams and Cardiff centre Grady with a view to promoting them in the way he has with Dafydd Jenkins, Christ Tshiunza and Tommy Reffell.

Tributes have been paid to former Wales prop forward Tony “Charlie” Faulkner following his death aged 81. The former Pontypool loosehead earned 19 caps for Wales between 1975 and 1979, winning four Five Nations titles and the Grand Slam twice in a squad which included the likes of Gareth Edwards and JPR Williams. Faulkner, who was born in Newport, joined Pontypool from Cross Keys in September 1972, going on to make 210 appearances and scoring 12 tries.

Wales coach Warren Gatland is set to name his team on Thursday afternoon to face Scotland this weekend in round two of the Six Nations. There’s been plenty to ponder after the heavy defeat at home to Ireland, as Tomas Marks outlines with his deep dive review. Having delved into the statistics after the Wales and Ireland match, the Irish were in imperious form in Cardiff with their back row shining bright. Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Peter O’Mahony were faultless in the back row battle, conceding no penalties, 98% tackle success and Flier and Doris carrying the ball forward a metre more per carry than Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau.

Wales coach Warren Gatland is considering major changes to his side ahead of their Six Nations match against Scotland on Saturday. Gatland is looking to reinvigorate the Welsh pack with youngsters Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza after a disappointing 34-10 loss to Ireland in the first round of the tournament. The head coach is contemplating giving Exeter Chiefs captain Jenkins his first Test start, while Jenkins’ teammate Tshiunza could also earn a place in the starting lineup, depending on his fitness.

Wales defence coach Mike Forshaw acknowledged the impact Shaun Edwards has made on him but insists he will do the job his own way. Forshaw’s fellow Wiganer enjoyed sustained success with Wales in the same role that Forshaw now has. The current France defence specialist played a key part in Wales winning four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and reaching two World Cup semi-finals during Warren Gatland’s first stint as Wales boss between 2008 and 2019.

Wales have been warned by Scotland hero Duhan van der Merwe that they now fancy their chances against any team in the world. Warren Gatland’s team – humbled by a 34-10 opening Six Nations defeat at home to Ireland – now have to go to Murrayfield on Saturday to face a Scottish side riding the crest of a wave. Scotland winger van der Merwe admits he “giggles” when he watches his Twickenham wonder try.

Warren Gatland tried to find some thin silver linings but Ireland’s cloudburst washed out any hope of a victory parade in his second stint as Wales coach. The Welsh Rugby Union turned to Gatland after Wayne Pivac’s three-year reign came to an end in December, with the idea that he could hit the ground running in the Six Nations and continue the momentum into this year’s World Cup. But there was little evidence of any Gatland factor in the opening game of the tournament as Ireland won 34-10 at the Principality Stadium – their biggest tournament win in Cardiff for 22 years.

Warren Gatland has been backed to make a success of his second stint in charge of Wales – but it won’t be pretty, according to the man who ground out more victories than most. JPR Williams enjoyed a phenomenal success rate of over 70 per cent in 55 Tests for Wales and believes Gatland can restore the winning habit when his second stint in charge begins with Wales’ opening Six Nations match against Ireland. “I think if anyone can put up a decent show, it’ll be him,” says Williams of Gatland ahead of the Ireland clash, which is live on S4C on Saturday.