Warren Gatland responds to complaints over scheduling of Wales match
Leigh Halfpenny looks set to continue his rugby career in the southern hemisphere after he makes a final Wales appearance on Saturday.
The Wales full-back, who has won 101 caps, will bow out of international rugby following the Barbarians’ Principality Stadium visit.
And New Zealand Super Rugby heavyweights Crusaders could be his next port of call.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland, after naming his team to face the Barbarians, dismissed speculation linking 34-year-old Halfpenny with a move to England or Japan, while confirming a southern hemisphere switch that would undoubtedly enhance his playing and coaching CV.
“Hopefully, he has got a big future ahead of him – it is an exciting challenge that he has been offered,” Gatland said.
“He spoke to me a number of weeks ago about where he was going to go. The speculation about going to England and Japan was all rubbish.
“I just said that it would be brilliant for him in terms of what he wants to do next and his CV, having played in France and won championships there, having been successful for Wales and having a chance to go to the southern hemisphere as well.
“And maybe after that experience, coming back and doing some kicking and some skills work and maybe following a Neil Jenkins (Wales skills and kicking specialist) path in terms of getting into the coaching aspect.
“He has been one of those people who have set incredible standards and is a great example for younger players coming through in terms of that.
“He is not the biggest man in the world, but he has always given 100 per cent for that jersey and he is a proud Welshman.”
Jac Morgan will captain a Wales XV containing 12 Rugby World Cup squad members, including four who started the quarter-final defeat against Argentina last month in Morgan, centre George North, lock Adam Beard and number eight Aaron Wainwright.
Dragons prop Lloyd Fairbrother, 31, makes a first Wales start in the non-cap encounter, with wing Tom Rogers and lock Ben Carter also gaining opportunities.
Fairbrother starts in the tighthead position, where Gatland was without the services of France-based pair Tomos Francis and Henry Thomas, Harlequins forward Dillon Lewis, plus injured duo Keiron Assiratti and Leon Brown.
Assiratti was ruled out by an ankle injury, while Brown has a calf muscle problem, meaning call-ups for Fairbrother and Scarlets prop Harri O’Connor, who is among the replacements.
The Principality Stadium encounter is being staged to pay tribute to Wales’ record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones. He retired from Test rugby in May after making 158 Test match appearances for his country.
Its scheduling, though, has been criticised, with all four Welsh regions being in United Rugby Championship action this weekend, while a sizeable contingent of players based outside Wales – Louis Rees-Zammit, Nick Tompkins and Will Rowlands among them – are not available.
Gatland added: “I can understand completely and I understand the issues involved in that. We are conscious of that, and that is why I was doing everything I could to support the regions by only picking 23 players (in his squad).
“We could, as would have been in our normal situation, picked 33 or 34, but that would have taken another nine players out of the regions in terms of them being available for those teams.
“I understand, but we have come out of a couple of pretty tough years with Covid and everyone is talking about the funding and how everyone is finding that difficult.
“This game is definitely about generating some more revenue, and for us there is an opportunity without players outside of Wales for people to put down a marker in terms of being involved in the Six Nations.”
While Gatland says Wales have “kind of drawn a line” under their World Cup campaign, he revealed that he has asked Wales’ medical staff to contact World Rugby regarding consistency of players being removed for head injury assessments.
“I’ve asked my medical staff to go back to World Rugby to give me some clarity on an incident like the Nick Tompkins one against Argentina, which wasn’t a penalty or a yellow card but he still had to come off in that situation for a HIA,” he said.
“I need to know then in that situation why didn’t (South Africa centre) Jesse Kriel have to come off for a HIA or (New Zealand forward) Ardie Savea (in the World Cup final)?”
Kriel was hit head-high by New Zealand captain Sam Cane, who was sent off, while Savea was on the receiving end of a challenge from yellow-carded Springboks skipper Siya Kolisi.
Comments on RugbyPass
Great role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
54 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
54 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
54 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
54 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
54 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
54 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
54 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
54 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
54 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
54 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
54 Go to comments