Gatland calls for ‘common sense’

Warren Gatland hopes “common sense” will prevail and allow Wales to play the ineligible British & Irish Lions scrum-half Rhys Webb at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Webb is unable to represent Wales following his move from the Ospreys to Toulon as Welsh Rugby Union rules stipulate that players based outside the country must have 60 caps.

The 29-year-old has 31 caps and WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips said last week that the rules will remain in place for the foreseeable future as doing otherwise gives people “false hope”.

But Wales coach Gatland has not given up hope of having Webb in his World Cup squad in Japan 12 months from now. I feel so sorry for Rhys. I would love the opportunity to be able to pick him,” Gatland said yesterday.

“The rules say that I can’t, but if there are a couple of injuries I would like to think – say we lost two of our three nines that we have at the moment – then there would maybe be some common sense. I don’t think anyone wants to see a team hampered by the ability to be able to pick the best player.

“We do have regulations