The Dragons welcome England this Saturday for the third day of the VI Nations tournament, a meeting which almost did not take place. Wales rugby players threatened to strike amid wage negotiations.
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It was not on the field but in a hotel in the suburbs of Cardiff that Welsh rugby fought its most important battle: the players facing their managers. The latter wanted to impose wage cuts, including a large variable part. The discussions were intense to achieve, Wednesday, February 22, to an agreement in extremis which satisfies Ken Owens, the captain of the national team: “It has to be a long term solution. Welsh rugby cannot continue in this way, going from crisis to crisis. Because it affects everyone. Of course the whole story has been a distraction. There has been a lot of discussions within the team about all this. Now we have to come together to find the best way forward.”
Toxic climate within the federation
Coach Warren Gatland had not measured the importance of the conflict before his players asked him to delay the announcement of his starting XV, and threatened to strike. “I didn’t even think about it, he says. I see this match as a good opportunity to put all that behind us. We just have to focus on our preparation.”
On the side of the federation, the one who led the discussions has just taken office. His predecessor resigned less than a month ago, accused by former employees of having maintained a toxic culture within the institution, against a backdrop of racism, misogyny and homophobia.
The threat of the wooden spoon
A deleterious situation off the field, to which must be added the poor sports results. So much so that even the English coach, Steve Borthwick, supports: “No player, no professional sportsperson should face such a level of uncertainty and anxiety. We have a lot of compassion for them.”
Humiliated last year at home by Italy and Georgia, Wales started their 2023 VI Nations tournament with two defeats in as many games. A victory against England on Saturday February 25 would bring a small brightening in a very dark Welsh sky, and would save the Leek XV from the humiliation of a wooden spoon (no victory) that he has not known since 2003.
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