Six Nations 2023: Wales coach Warren Gatland looks to draw a line under troubled build-up

Wales coach Warren Gatland says his squad need to draw a line under the controversial build-up to the Six Nations match against England.

Wales players were threatening to refuse to play in Cardiff on Saturday because of a contract dispute.

The matter was resolved on Wednesday just three days before the game at Principality Stadium.

"I am just glad things have been sorted and we can finally focus on preparing for Saturday," said Gatland.

The Wales head coach had delayed naming his team on Tuesday and said the players had asked him to do that in case the match did not go ahead.

"I was asked by the players not to name the team on Tuesday, and that was about as much as protecting them as well," added Gatland.

"If the game did get called off with naming a 23, then all of a sudden those players are in the spotlight and almost being accused of calling the game off.

"I know what happens after that. You guys [the media] go around and ask them if they wanted the game to go ahead, and they potentially get isolated.

"So it was as much about protecting the players in the squad until we had confirmation that the game was going ahead.

"One of the other things was if you look, five English players are involved in the 23.

"We had to make a call on that because if we didn't name the team on Tuesday or didn't notify their clubs they were involved, they would have all had to go back to the English clubs on Tuesday. That was something we had to consider and debate."

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'Talks taking toll on captain'

Wales captain Ken Owens has been at the forefront of the discussions this week.

"There's no doubt this week has taken a bit of a toll on him in terms of being caught in the middle of things and discussions," said Gatland.

"He's done a fantastic job in terms of supporting and leading the players. I made a joke that he looked 10 years younger this morning. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"I'm sure, given his experience of a number of battles over the years, he'll be up for it."

Owens will be joined by the returning Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau and Justin Tipuric against England with Gatland saying that experience will help Wales cope with the troubled build-up.

"Some of those experienced players have been through a lot of big situations, Grand Slams, winning Six Nations and World Cup semi-finals," said Gatland.

"They've handled a huge amount of pressure. It has definitely been a challenging week with all that has been going on."

Gatland does not believe Wales players will need a backs-against-the-wall mentality.

"It is not something we will be talking about," he said.

"I don't think there is any lack of motivation, the history and passion between Wales and England and getting up for the game. I am confident the guys will be ready.

"These are circumstances that have been brought on by ourselves, and we can only take responsibility for those things.

"The focus needs to be purely on the next few days, drawing a line in the sand with what has happened and then bringing out the passion, history and expectation that comes with an England-Wales fixture."

With Wales having lost their opening two games against Ireland and Scotland and England only managing a victory over Italy in their first two matches, Gatland sees this as a pivotal game to determine how the tournament fares.

"We are probably a little bit in similar situations," said Gatland.

"For both of us, this game is absolutely massive. If we win on Saturday, and then we go away to Italy and France and we can finish the Six Nations on a real positive, and for them, a loss on Saturday and their last two games are France and Ireland, which are pretty challenging as well.

"So it is definitely a huge game for both England and Wales."

Sixty-cap rule reduction

Meanwhile, Gatland said he had not been involved in the discussions between Wales players and bosses about reducing the 60-cap rule to 25.

The players wanted the minimum 60-cap Test selection rule for people plying their trade outside the country to be scrapped but it was reduced in a compromise.

"I've explained on other occasions that it was brought in, in 2017, and was called Gatland's Law for some reason," added Gatland.

"When I was asked about it, I could see the benefits of helping the regions and benefiting them.

"I wanted 30, the regions wanted 70 and we ended up with 60.

"The players wanted to take it completely out and the compromise is down to 25. But I wasn't consulted on that number at all."

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