SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: A strike could be final nail in coffin for Wales

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: I was proud of how my England players handled their pay dispute with the RFU in 2000… but I don’t see any strong leadership at the top of the Welsh Rugby Union and a strike could be the final nail in the coffin

• Wales players are STILL threatening strike ahead of England Six Nations clash 
• A funding dispute has head coach Warren Gatland in a really tricky position 
• Sportsmail’s Sir Clive Woodward has first hand experience of a player strike 

The possible strike action threatened by Welsh players is a huge distraction for Wales and Warren Gatland and evokes memories of my own experience of a similar situation.

In 2000 when I was England head coach, my players went on strike ahead of a game against Argentina at Twickenham in a row over pay. My memories are that it clearly was not a good situation. That’s putting it mildly!

The Wales row is different but equally as bad – if not worse.

More than 20 years ago, contract talks broke down between the England players and the RFU. On the whole, the players dealt with it well and they kept me up to date with what was going on.

I must admit that when the players told me that they were planning to go on strike, I was more than shocked. We had a match to prepare for and a team to put out that coming Saturday.

 Wales’ players are threatening to go on strike before their Six Nations clash against England

 Head coach Warren Gatland needs to balance both sides which has him in an unenviable spot

I thought it could derail the work we had been doing. History shows the team were already very united, but this episode just made them even tighter as a group.

Looking back, I was very proud of the players for how they handled a difficult situation. The RFU had a strong and very capable leader in Francis Baron at the time and together with the players, the situation was quickly resolved.

Now, I don’t see any strong leadership or real business experience at the top of the Welsh Rugby Union and that should be of real concern to everyone.

The current state of play is a huge headache for Gatland as head coach at a time when Wales are underperforming.

The financial situation in Wales now is far more complex than ours in 2000. Out-of-contract players are unable to sign new deals because the WRU have not been able to agree budgets with the country’s four regions. There is a whole range of different issues for the regions and Wales – as well as the agents and player representatives – to deal with.

It will not be an easy or quick fix. I can see why their players at both international and domestic level have had enough and a strike is a real possibility.

As head coach, Gatland is in an unenviable position. He is in the middle between the WRU executive and the players. He needs to preserve his close working relationship with the players, for whom I am sure he has a lot of empathy and sympathy.

At the same time, he is paid by the WRU to coach and put out a team against England.

Back in 2000, Sportsmail’s Sir Clive Woodward (right) faced a player strike with England

Lawrence Dallaglio (left), Matt Dawson (middle) and Martin Johnson (right) discuss 2000 strike

He must be involved in the process to some degree because he is the national head coach. But he cannot be at the centre of it. He must trust in those who are leading from both sides to sort the problem out.

The WRU are letting their national team slip badly behind the rest of the best tier-one countries in world rugby. Last year, Wales won only three games and lost to Italy and Georgia. It is clear the professional game in Wales is not in a happy place at all.

I don’t agree with the 60-cap rule in Wales. I never have and never will. The rule states that you have to have that number of international appearances to be able to play club rugby outside of Wales and still be eligible to represent the national side.

We live in a commercial world now where you can’t stop employees in any business from earning their market worth.

That is what is happening in Wales because the players are being told their salaries must come down and also that they can’t move abroad unless they are prepared to give up Test rugby. I don’t think it will be long before that rule goes.

Welsh rugby is a mess right now and the journey back to the top of the game seems a long one

If you are a national head coach, you should be able to pick the best players wherever they are playing their domestic rugby. I’m sure Gatland and his players would agree with that.

I hope it doesn’t come to a strike with Wales. If a Six Nations game were cancelled because of this, it would be counter-productive and another serious body blow to rugby as a sport.

It could well be the final nail in the Welsh coffin. I can see why the players are threatening such action because things have to change in Wales.

Sadly, it is in a mess from top to bottom right now and the path back to the top looks a long one. 

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