Warren Gatland, head coach of Wales has criticized Premiership Rugby Limited for failing to release Tomas Francis and Josh Adams after they had been called up to partake in the country’s two-Test tour of Argentina.
Gatland dropped both players, as well as Luke Charteris of Bath from his initial squad after they were not released by PRL for the game against South Africa played in the United States.
The game of Wales vs. South Africa played in Washington fell out of the test window designated by World Rugby. As such, PRL were within their rights to take their decision.
However, Gatland believes that the PRL could have managed the situation better. He also noted that while the PRL was probably trying to protect their own competition, it is difficult to understand as to why they would try to stop the players from joining the team earlier.
Considering that the club season was already finished and that the players will still join up early enough with their various clubs, Gatland did not hide his dispiritedness about the kind of politics involved in the sport.