Gatland denies claim that Wales bent laws to deny Georgians
WARREN GATLAND insisted Wales did not bend the laws to deny Georgia an historic draw in Cardiff.
Controversy surrounded the final play at the Principality Stadium. With Wales 13-6 up, Tomas Francis was sin-binned after charging into a ruck.
In scenes reminiscent of the France versus Wales’ 100minute match in the Six Nations, Wales then had to find another prop or the scrums would become uncontested.
They said Leon Brown, substituted tactically in the 56th minute, had developed cramp and could not return. He was seen standing on the touchline with Nicky Smith, the replaced loosehead but neither came on.
That meant Georgia did not have the chance to batter into the Welsh scrum again, in the quest for a converted try that would draw them level. Instead they kicked to the corner but then gave away a penalty that ended the game.
On social media, former Wales prop Adam Jones said the perceived fudge over Brown was ‘shocking’ and that Wales had pulled ‘the fastest one ever’. But Gatland quashed that talk.‘I can promise you there wasn’t anything from our point of view in terms of trying to manipulate the rules,’ said the Wales head coach.
‘We were as confused as anyone. Leon cramped up and Nicky had a bang on his calf. It would have been uncontested scrums anyway with Nicky back on at tighthead rather than loosehead.’
Milton Haig, the Georgia head coach, did not bemoan
the decision but said he was confident they would have scored if allowed to scrummage.
‘Absolutely. By what happened, Wales were pretty confident of that, too,’ said the New Zealander.
‘That’s why they wanted to go to uncontested scrums.
‘It was disappointing for us, obviously. It should show our supporters back home and our families that we represent our country pretty