GATLAND’S WOE, BUT THINGS LOOK UP FOR DRAGONS
WE’RE now just a few weeks away from the return of some actual rugby in Wales as the Guinness PRO14 makes its comeback in August.
But there’s been plenty going on off the field over recent days that could have a big impact on the months and years ahead.
Here are the winners and losers from Welsh rugby and beyond amid a strange time.
WINNERS
Six Nations
The Six Nations unions have had precious little to smile about during the Covid-19 crisis, particularly those charged with balancing the books amid the economic meltdown.
So any shafts of light will be gratefully received.
And one duly arrived at the weekend with reports that England’s top clubs have helped pave the way for a bumper autumn of international matches. They’ve reluctantly accepted World Rugby’s plan to temporarily extend the Test window to seven weeks.
The World Rugby council is due to hold a vote on Thursday on extending the international window from October 24 to December 5.
The extension will allow the completion of the 2020 Six Nations matches that were postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and create a new autumn competition involving the Six Nations teams, plus guest countries Fiji and now Georgia.
The English and French clubs feared the extension could be used to install a permanent eight-week window during the autumn in plans for an aligned global international calendar.
Dragons
So often portrayed as the paupers of Welsh regional rugby, the Rodney Parade outfit could well be lording it over their local rivals next season.
The region have already brought in Welsh international back Jonah Holmes from Leicester and are set to bolster their front-five forwards with the arrival of lock Will Rowlands from Wasps.
And they have also acquired the services of Welsh centre Nick Tompkins on a season-long loan deal from Saracens.
Now the Dragons are reportedly considering making another raid on the English Premiership by bringing Leicester Tigers pay rebel Greg Bateman to Rodney Parade.
He was one of five Tigers players to leave the Midlands club earlier this month after failing to agree new wage deals.
He has played 92 times for the Tigers since making the move from Exeter Chiefs back in 2015
The loosehead would be a significant acquisition for the Dragons, with Bateman’s ball-carrying and hard running going down a storm with Tigers fans.
The Dragons could also add another marquee name to their star-studded back division with the region remaining in the hunt for Wales and Lions centre Jamie Roberts.
Roberts is believed to have held lengthy talks with the Dragons, although reports surfaced at the weekend of an unnamed American club tabling an offer to take the midfield battering ram to the United States.
Alain Rolland
He was seen as the man who lost Wales a tilt at winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup when sending off skipper Sam Warburton in their heartbreaking semi-final loss to France.
But it seems the Irish referee played his part in Nigel Owens being able to add to his world record 98 Tests in charge of internationals with a priceless pep talk before the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament in Japan.
The world’s most famous whistleblower revealed in his
WalesOnline column at the weekend how Rolland, who is set to stand down from his role as head of World Rugby referees after four years in the job, threatened him with the axe from 2019 World Cup selection.
“Ahead of the appointments for last year’s World Cup, Alain pulled me to one side and told me a couple of my more recent performances were not up to my usual standard,” wrote Owens.
“And he was right. ‘Nige, you need to get back to your best. I’m not going to recommend you for the World Cup unless I’m convinced you’re still good enough to do knockout games’.
“Basically, he was saying he could take a more inexperienced official to referee the pool
matches if necessary so they could get experience ahead of the 2023 tournament.
“He expected more from a senior figure like me.
“This was to be my fourth World Cup and I certainly wasn’t going there just to referee a couple of pool games.
“I told Alain that he didn’t actually need to tell me if I was good enough or not, I would know if I had started to consistently slip below the high standards I set and expect of myself.
“But I suppose every one of us needs that pep talk at some stage, whatever job we do. And this was my kick up the backside again.”
LOSERS
Mark Jones
The former international wing must have been pinching himself all the way Down Under in January when he jetted out of Welsh rugby for a dream coaching job with the Crusaders in New Zealand.
For the 40-year-old, who stepped down from North Wales team RGC in May 2019 after three years as head coach of the Welsh Premiership club, was not only going to work with one of the foremost thinkers in the game in Scott Robertson, but also one of the game’s most successful sides.
And it was all going swimmingly for the Crusaders coaching team until last weekend when their four-year unbeaten home record in Super Rugby came to an end in ignominy against the Hurricanes during a thriller. Crusaders had won 35 and drawn one of their last 36 home fixtures in the tournament.
Their last home defeat in Super Rugby, on May 3, 2016, also came against the Hurricanes.
Welsh rugby
A leading sports lawyer has told Wales’s rugby players a delay in reaching an agreement over permanent pay cuts could lead to the death of the professional game here.
The Welsh Rugby Union, the Ospreys, Scarlets, Dragons and Blues plus the Welsh Rugby Players Association are still in talks over a 25% cut in player salaries.
It was reported on Saturday how the current stand-off was causing issues, with sources later telling us some players had informally talked about the prospect of strike action.
The cut in players’ salaries has caused furore in England, as rugby looks to recover from the financial meltdown of the game caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
And Welsh rugby’s coffers face a similar significant blow.
The latest deadline for an agreement of wage cuts in Wales passed on Friday. And the man who negotiated Sam Warburton’s deal to become Welsh rugby’s first centrally contracted player has warned of the dire consequences if the stalemate drags on.
Capital Law’s David Lewis told The Rugby Paper: “If they can’t reach a sensible conclusion it could cause the death of rugby in Wales.
“I don’t think that’s too extreme. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility to get a strike. If you can’t reach an agreement it would be an option.
“The problem in Wales is the money isn’t there and Covid-19 has had a ripple effect. If all the players say ‘we’re not doing this’, it could have a devastating impact.
“There will be players looking at the bigger picture, but at the same time it’s a short career. It’s not as simple as taking a pay cut now and recouping it three or four years hence. Some players don’t have that time.”
Warren Gatland
The triple Grand Slam-winning coach had to call on Chiefs fans to be patient with his side on a run of seven straight defeats in Super Rugby following the 21-17 defeat to the Blues on Sunday.
And as they face the Crusaders next weekend, Gatland said: “I think long term this team is really going to benefit.
“Some of those youngsters are going to remember these experiences and be better for it as players. And we are exposing some youngsters to this top level of rugby which is really going to enhance our depth.
“It’s been a good challenge. “When you’ve been around a long time, it’s not the first time you’ve been in a situation when you’ve dropped a few games. It’s how do you respond?
“I think we’re training well and have prepared well for games. I make sure I question myself each week. Are we doing the right things? How are we preparing?
“We think we’re doing that well and every game is about learning from those experiences.”