Tuesday, February 21. In a crunch meeting at their Vale Resort training base earlier this year, the consequences of potential strike action were spelt out to the Wales squad.
Warren Gatland’s players were told in no uncertain terms that if they refused to play their Six Nations game with England, they would not only cost the Welsh Rugby Union close to £10million and bankrupt the governing body, but also rob rookie back Mason Grady of a potential Test debut.
There was mutiny and anger in the air. Emotions were running high. Wales’ players were divided over whether to strike or not, but there was collective frustration at the contractual and financial uncertainty dogging their country’s rugby landscape.