The WRU wants more time with its internationals
The Welsh Rugby Union is pressing its four pro clubs for far greater access to Wales internationals ahead of the Six Nations.
Historically Wales’ four professional clubs – Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – released players 13 days before the Six Nations for a training camp. Any players based in England or France are not available for this and must return to their club on the fallow weekend or if they are not selected in the matchday squad.
The WRU wants to give Steve Tandy greater access to prepare players for the Six Nations.
“We will be asking the regional clubs to actually release the players for a few periods of time between now and then so Dave (Reddin) and his team can have them,” said WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood.
“Part of the problem we face is you are really close and you do this for five weeks but then there’s a gap of two months before you come together again.
“That’s really not helpful.
“There’s some very simple and practical things that hopefully we can work with the regional clubs on that will make a difference to the performance of the Wales national team.”
Wales only won one out of four Test matches this autumn which culminated in a shambolic 73-0 defeat to South Africa at the Principality Stadium
Despite the poor results Collier-Keywood insists Tandy has had a positive impact.
“In the dressing room yesterday one of the issues for us is the players were really up after the New Zealand match,” he said.
“You go down to the dressing room and you chat to them and encourage them.
“On Saturday it was obviously a different story.
“So one of the conversations that we’ve already started with Steve and Dave is what can we do between now and the Six Nations to actually make a difference to these players.
“Dewi Lake, I should say, in the president’s lounge afterwards spoke incredibly positively about his last five weeks in camp.
“It was his best time in a Welsh jersey is what he actually said.
“That’s massively down to Steve Tandy and his crew of course.”
