Wales Six Nations squad 2023

[Saintjay]

Latest reports from Times etc. Also reported the top player wages will go from apx £400,000 down to £278,000. If true Dan Biggar is laughing his socks off.

Wales players set WRU deadline of next Wednesday to end contractual chaos.

* Demands include scrapping 60 cap rule and fixed variable element of contracts.

* Attempted WRPA meeting cancelled due to sponsors evening.

* Press conference scheduled today.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Latest reports from Times etc. Also reported the top player wages will go from apx £400,000 down to £278,000. If true Dan Biggar is laughing his socks off.

Wales players set WRU deadline of next Wednesday to end contractual chaos.

* Demands include scrapping 60 cap rule and fixed variable element of contracts.

* Attempted WRPA meeting cancelled due to sponsors evening.

* Press conference scheduled today.

And your average player wage will be between £40k-£100k pa. Not much for a short career where you’re putting your life on the line. I know that sounds a bit hyperbolic but it’s true

 

[AlRums]

Wales rugby team walk out of WRU sponsors dinner early in premeditated decision

WalesOnline understand that the players had made the decision beforehand to leave the event after just an hour

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Incredible the amount of bootlickers on social media sticking up for the WRU in all of this,
"Don't they know how privileged they are? I work 86hr shifts and pay my boss for the privilege, these snowflake players don't know they're born"

 

[McTallshort]

Good luck to them. Rugby has always been a players game not a fans game. They risk a lot playing international rugby and should be compensated accordingly, not messed around by a shitty union

 

[die_mole]

just the idea of being asked to plan for something 6 months out while only being guaranteed pay 3 months out is upsetting. The players have understandable anxiety about where they will be living and what life will be like come summer.

 

[Saintjay]

Warren Gatland being called out as a "Scab" and a WRU stooge for not supporting potential striking players on social media made me laugh. From saviour to "Scab" welcome back to Wales.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Incredible the amount of bootlickers on social media sticking up for the WRU in all of this,
"Don't they know how privileged they are? I work 86hr shifts and pay my boss for the privilege, these snowflake players don't know they're born"

Whenever player rights or safety comes up, I'm staggered by the number of people who seem to think of these players are some sort of medieval court jesters, whose rights are overridden by their duty to provide entertainment.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Whenever player rights or safety comes up, I'm staggered by the number of people who seem to think of these players are some sort of medieval court jesters, whose rights are overridden by their duty to provide entertainment.

Not just players, there seems to be this attitude among certain segments of society that those who provided entertainment are beholden to those they entertain, essentially slaves for our pleasure. It's a job same as any other. Also hate those who work long hours for low pay and feel that they should drag everyone else down to their level. Anyone who has anything better off than them has no right to complain. It's a ridiculous mentality and those who support the race to the bottom don't even benefit themselves, it's only those at the top who benefit. Such people are just bitter at their own failings for the most part.

 

[die_mole]

Just heard only 80% of their contracts are guaranteed. Teams are being setup to lose and 20% of their pay is win bonuses.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

gotta be a big boardroom for that

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

gotta be a big boardroom for that

WRU can’t afford chairs for them all so they’re gonna sit on the floor like primary school assemble.

 

[Welsh Exile]

WRU can’t afford chairs for them all so they’re gonna sit on the floor like primary school assemble.

Sorry boys we sold all the chairs to fund our new virtual reality Rugby museum and zip line sky walk at the stadium.

Business heavyweights. Might as well have Del Boy and Rodeny running the place. This time next year Rodney………

 

[Welsh Exile]

WOL reporting that the 60 cap rule will be lowered to 25.

So it looks like Rowlands will miss out. Shame as if he was fit he would’ve got to 25 caps in this tournament.

 

[dullonien]

Wtf is gonna happen to Hawkins too? He's the kinda player Wales could build a side around for the next decade or more. What a shambles.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Forgot about Hawkins. How true are these rumours? Shame if true.

 

[Reiser99]

So at the moment they are not meeting 2 out 3 of the players demands right?

Only one they are giving is future participation.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

WOL reporting that the 60 cap rule will be lowered to 25.

So it looks like Rowlands will miss out. Shame as if he was fit he would’ve got to 25 caps in this tournament.

Divide and conquer in action. They'll calculate 25 caps is enough to assemble a willing 23 on Saturday.

I do have some sympathy for the WRU (despite their constant undermining of the URC by talking about Englandshire). It's not an easy decision to cut a team instead of cutting wages. Even places like Australia that did it to the Force ended up reinstating them a few years later when political/financial sands had shifted. So you can look heartless and stupid cutting a team.

But 4x franchises and a reduced number of caps to 25 means you'll have 4x even weaker sides than they are now. The only winner in this sorry mess is Zebre, who might not finish bottom next year.

 

[Welsh Exile]

They should just ******* scrap it. I was actually happy for Hawkins when I read in here he was off to Exeter, I was like, good for him, he’ll really grow as a player there but now we’re just in a situation where it’s the worst of both worlds. I guess just have to wait and see what the deal is but it’s so depressing. Can’t even be arsed to go to the game even if it goes ahead.

 

[dullonien]

Divide and conquer in action. They'll calculate 25 caps is enough to assemble a willing 23 on Saturday.

I do have some sympathy for the WRU (despite their constant undermining of the URC by talking about Englandshire). It's not an easy decision to cut a team instead of cutting wages. Even places like Australia that did it to the Force ended up reinstating them a few years later when political/financial sands had shifted. So you can look heartless and stupid cutting a team.

But 4x franchises and a reduced number of caps to 25 means you'll have 4x even weaker sides than they are now. The only winner in this sorry mess is Zebre, who might not finish bottom next year.

Yeah that's the worry. I personally think that South Wales can only sustain 2 (maybe 3 at a push) pro sides. I'd love for the Valleys to be properly represented with a side again, but is the support base really there? But East, West + Valleys is a better distribution that what's here now.

If there's a way to negotiate full release for players playing abroad, compensation from the WRU for time the players are away in camp outside the international window, then one of the big negatives of players based outside Wales would be gone. Yes that costs, and probabpy a decent amount, but nowhere near as much as running a region. So that could offset the loss of a region in terms of player numbers.

Then the WRU need a long term plan for North Wales to help grow the game in Wales.

If one thing can come out of this almighty mess, it could be a full restructuring of both the governance and pro setup in Wales. If it doesn't happen now it never will!