1
Gavin Henson says he'll take lie detector test over Gatland doping comments
Former Welsh playmaker Gavin Henson says he’s prepared to take a lie detector test following Warren Gatland’s comments about the suspected use of steroids by a Welsh player he previously coached.
ADVERTISEMENT
Gatland revealed he once had suspicions a player within the national squad may have taken drugs – but has no evidence anyone did under his tenure.
Henson believes his former coach’s comments – made on an Irish sports’ podcast – need further investigation. Gatland took part in a wide-ranging discussion on the Off The Ball podcast, during which the subject of doping was brought up.
The former Wales coach started with a general view on the issues, before then giving away some details of suspicions which came about from jokes made between team-mates.
“The sad thing about professional sport, and whether it’s team sport or individual sport, when money’s involved, there’s that potential for it to be exploited with performance-enhancing drugs,” Gatland said.
“I think we all want it to stay as clean as we possibly can.
“I haven’t come across, personally, any players that I’ve coached from a Wales perspective that I would – well sorry, maybe one.”
The former Wales boss added as he gave a short chuckle: “Yeah, maybe one, now that I think about it.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Asked if the person concerned had played for Wales, Gatland replied: “He may have done, yeah.”
In an interview with @offtheball, the former Welsh coach said in his time at the helm, there was one player he coached who he was suspicious of. pic.twitter.com/QqpERny1k4
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 15, 2019
Pressed as to whether he had any misgivings about working with them, the former Wales coach moved to clarify his position.
Asked if was more of a suspicion over possible doping, Gatland replied: “Yeah, absolutely… and that is the whole time I have been coaching Wales.
Henson suggested that BBC Scrum V should carry out interviews using a lie detector. “BBC ScrumV you need to interview every player that played under Gats, a simple question – have you taken a performance enhancing drug? But strapped up to a lie detector.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’ll take less than a minute! Let’s see who is up for it! I’m happy to be questioned. #canofworms”
Amazing. @BBCScrumV you Need to interview every player that played under Gats, a simple question – have you taken a performance enhancing drug? But strapped up to a lie detector. It’ll take less than a minute! Let’s see who is up for it! ?????I’m happy to be questioned. #canofworms https://t.co/vblWK6hRTq
— Gavin Henson (@gavinhenson82) November 15, 2019
Gatland, 56, stepped down following the Rugby World Cup in Japan, where Wales reached the semi-finals before losing to New Zealand in the bronze medal match.
The New Zealander had been in charge of Wales since 2007, guiding the squad to four Six Nations titles as well as earning a place at the top of the world rankings.
Gatland did suggest he felt the sport of rugby union, as a whole, was ‘clean’.
The French raid for Shaun Edwards has left Clive Woodward annoyed https://t.co/XOz8UhDXQg
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2019
“But I would like to think the sport is clean.
“From a New Zealand perspective, I think it is pretty clean. When you go down levels we are seeing positives in Wales at junior levels and in other nations as well.
“There’s always that temptation in players wanting to try and play at a higher level and taking the risks by taking drugs. I definitely don’t condone that.”
Gatland continued: “It’s probably unfair of me to say I had suspicions because I’ve got no evidence or anything like that.
“It’s kind of like just saying: ‘is there a possibility?’
No pressure then lads #2021Lions https://t.co/LNh3DTVt9k
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 13, 2019
“It was more like a couple of people making jokes, sort of thing.”
Asked if it was a case of ‘truth in humour?’, Gatland replied: “Yeah, exactly.”
The Welsh Rugby Union declined to give any official comment when contacted by the PA news agency.
It is understood the conversations Gatland recalled during the podcast came from when some Wales players were having a joke about one of their team-mates being in good shape.
There were never any serious suspicions, because if there had been, the player concerned would have been reported and the relevant disciplinary procedures subsequently followed.
– PA, additional reporting RugbyPass
Comments on RugbyPass
Bulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
20 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
7 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
72 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
20 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
7 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
20 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
20 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
20 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
2 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to comments