Wales cancelled their press conference on Wednesday amid a dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union over match fees. Players from Steve Tandy's side had been due to face the press on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship clash with Fiji in Cardiff. However, after failing to show at their Vale of Glamorgan team base following a wait of over an hour, journalists were informed that there would be no press conference.
Reason for Cancellation
The reason for the cancellation is due to discussions over match fees ahead of summer Tests against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa. WalesOnline understands that players were pushing for match fees and other details to be sorted ahead of the new tournament - with the playing group understood to have wanted a meeting with WRU bosses on Wednesday afternoon.
With things understood to have not been signed off late into a Test week, things have been rumbling on behind the scenes this week. Players opted against facing the media in order to meet with WRU bosses - with several of Wales' key players having to combine training on Wednesday with meetings.
Strike Threat and Resolution
At various points on Wednesday, sources suggested that strike action ahead of Saturday's clash with Fiji looked a distinct possibility - however that has now seemingly been avoided. Late on Wednesday afternoon, a handful of Wales' senior players emerged from a room at their Vale of Glamorgan HQ - having struck a deal.
"Media access was postponed today due to ongoing negotiations between WRU representatives and the Welsh Rugby Players Association around employment terms for the new Nations Championship competition," read a joint statement from the WRU and WRPA. "These negotiations have now been concluded to the satisfaction of all parties. Training preparations for the upcoming match against Fiji at the Cardiff City stadium have not been affected. Everyone involved is looking forward to a positive result on Saturday and a successful campaign."
Historical Context
Any involvement of the WRPA does evoke memories of player power - with dispute over match fees having occurred at different times in previous years. The Welsh national team previously came close to strike action back in 2023, ahead of the Six Nations clash with England. In the end, that dispute was avoided just days before the match in Cardiff. However, it didn't stop then captain Ken Owens branding Welsh rugby a "laughing stock".
The timing is far from ideal this time around - with the news coming out of the blue just days before the crucial match with Fiji. It's far from ideal for head coach Steve Tandy too, who is due to face the media on Thursday when he names his team to face Fiji. It's likely to be dominated by questions about the dispute.
