Wales vs England Six Nations clash to go ahead as players withdraw threat of strike

Harry Latham-Coyle
·1 min read

The Six Nations clash between Wales and England will go ahead after the Welsh players agreed to take the field on Saturday amid a contract dispute.

The encounter had been in major doubt with the players and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) at an impasse in contract negotiations for next season.

But after a meeting between officials from the WRU’s Professional Rugby Board and players on Wednesday, WRU acting CEO Nigel Walker confirmed the marquee Six Nations fixture will indeed be played as planned at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

Exact details of any sort of agreement struck between the players and the board are still being awaited, although some reports suggest that the controversial ‘60-cap rule’ - where only players who play their club rugby in Wales are eligible for the national team, unless they have 60 or more international caps - has been reduced to 25 caps.

Wales host England in desperate need of a win having begun Warren Gatland’s second tenure as head coach with back-to-back defeats to Ireland and Scotland.

Their visitors achieved their first win under their own new coach, Steve Borthwick, last time out against Italy.

More to follow...