Wales coach Warren Gatland is "confident" strike action will be averted and his team's Six Nations game against England will go ahead next week.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions have insisted there is "no room for manoeuvre" on player contract renewals, with internationals in Gatland's squad reportedly considering whether they should refuse to play.
Under a six-year agreement that has, according to the WRU, been verbally agreed, players in Wales are set to receive lower wages, with bonuses introduced to contracts.
WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales' squad to "further clarify" the governing body's position on Wednesday, and there is a February 28 deadline in place.
That falls three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.
Sitting alongside former captain Alun Wyn Jones at a press conference, Gatland was asked about the potential for a strike and said: "You have to talk to Alun Wyn about that. As far as I'm concerned, it's just preparing for the game, and I'm confident the game will go ahead."
Asked whether players had suggested they might be unavailable, Gatland said: "No."
Gatland, back at the helm for a second spell as Wales coach, said those in the national set-up "understand the frustrations by the players".
He added: "I'm sure the players, like us, would like things resolved hopefully as quick as possible. These things have been going on for a long time, but all I can focus on is concentrating and preparing on the game.
"That stuff is out of my remit, and I'm just planning for England next week."
Gatland responded "No", when asked if he would support his players refusing to play England, adding: "I completely support the stance [the players are] taking in terms of wanting to get some resolution about the issues that they have, but I think there's a lot more involved in terms of ensuring that that fixture does take place."
He said the Wales players have been "fantastic" on the training pitch, and remarked that players could not be blamed for seeking what they consider market value contracts, despite the WRU's comments.
"It's a little disingenuous to say the players are being paid too much money, from the union's point of view," said Gatland. "No way is it their fault that those contracts have been negotiated by the regions or the agents through the players."
Long-serving ex-skipper Jones said: "This was supposed to be sorted a long time ago. Even players that might have had the opportunity to go somewhere else might not get that now because other teams are filling their rosters.
"The disappointing thing is that the basic treatment of players and the continued unprofessional nature of dealing with things is massively disappointing, and unfortunately it's been highlighted."
Rhys Carre released from Wales training squad for missing performance targets
Cardiff prop Rhys Carre has been released from Wales’ preliminary Rugby World Cup training squad after failing to meet individual performance targets.
The Welsh Rugby Union said in a statement: “Rhys Carre has been released from the Wales senior men’s preliminary training squad for Rugby World Cup 2023.
“Following ongoing discussions between the player and the Wales coaching team, Carre has failed to meet individual performance targets set at the end of the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.”
Carre was one of 10 props selected in the training squad alongside Nicky Smith, Corey Domachowski, Gareth Thomas, Kemsley Mathias, Tomas Francis, Dillon Lewis, Keiron Assiratti, Henry Thomas and Will Davies-King.
Domachowski, Mathias, Assiratti, Thomas and Davies-King are all uncapped, while Carre has made 20 Test match appearances.
His Wales debut came in 2019, and he was also part of the World Cup squad in Japan later that year.
Carre, 25, has become the fourth player to depart head coach Warren Gatland’s 54-man group that he announced last month.
Ospreys trio Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Rhys Webb all announced their international retirements ahead of the World Cup in France later this year after being named in the squad.
Wales play three World Cup warm-up games in August, with their tournament opener being against Fiji in Bordeaux on September 10.
Stuart Broad claims four as England take charge against Ireland at Lord’s
Stuart Broad edged closer to adding his name to the Lord’s honours board but all-rounder Curtis Campher held up England’s charge in the afternoon session to guide Ireland to 162 for seven at tea.
Broad ripped through the Ireland top order during the first hour of the one-off Test with three wickets to reduce the tourists to 64 for four despite Paul Stirling’s entertaining knock of 30
When opener James McCollum edged behind soon after lunch to depart for 36 to give Broad a fourth scalp, Ireland were wobbling on 98 for five but Campher held firm.
Jack Leach grabbed his second scalp and Matthew Potts claimed a first Test wicket since August, but Campher’s unbeaten 32 saw Ireland make it through a second session.
England’s journey to Lord’s from their Kensington hotel had been delayed by five minutes due to Just Stop Oil protesters and enhanced security measures were put in place by the MCC to thwart any potential disruptions during the four-day Test.
With overcast conditions and a green wicket at the Home of Cricket, it was no surprise when Ben Stokes put Ireland into bat after he won the toss and Broad quickly set about trying to get his name on the honours board again.
In the absence of rested duo James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, the Nottinghamshire seamer produced a fine opening spell of three for 14 from five overs.
It did take Broad until the third over to make the breakthrough but Peter Moor, fresh from a century in the warm-up fixture at Essex last weekend, was pinned in front lbw for 10.
Broad’s next over produced even more drama with Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie out for a five-ball duck after he edged to second slip where Zak Crawley took an excellent low catch diving to his left.
Harry Tector followed his skipper back to the pavilion two balls later when he inexplicably flicked straight to Potts at leg slip but Broad was denied a hat-trick opportunity when an lbw decision against Stirling was overturned on review after ball-tracker showed it was missing leg stump.
It enabled Stirling to lead a mini-recovery for Ireland but his enterprising 30 was ended when his attempted sweep flicked off his glove and gave Jonny Bairstow a simple catch behind the stumps to help Leach get off the mark this summer.
Stirling had put on 45 for the fourth wicket with opener McCollum, who made it to lunch unbeaten on 29 but his pursuit of a maiden Test fifty ended early into the afternoon session.
Again it was the third over of Broad’s spell that did the trick, with McCollum squared up and only able to edge to Joe Root at first slip to depart for a hard-fought 36 off 108 deliveries.
Warm applause greeted Ireland’s hundred via a single from Lorcan Tucker, but the wicketkeeper became Leach’s second victim when he was hit on his front pad and a review adjudged the delivery to be clipping off-stump.
Campher and Andy McBrine tried to shift the momentum and take the attack to England, but Potts had the last laugh when the latter edged behind an 88.9mph delivery to Bairstow.
Debutant Josh Tongue continued to admirably back up the England attack and hit 91mph at one stage, but Campher survived his sharp bouncer and a concussion check to reach tea unbeaten.
Daniel Vettori: England’s winning habit more impressive than style of cricket
Daniel Vettori insists it is England’s winning habit rather than their ‘Bazball’ style that has earned the respect of Australia ahead of this summer’s Ashes.
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have inspired a thrilling revival of England’s Test team, winning 10 out of 12 matches by adopting an aggressive, never say die mindset.
Australia are aiming to retain the Ashes when the series opens at Edgbaston on June 16 and assistant coach Vettori, who played alongside McCullum for New Zealand, insists the hosts’ results trump how they were achieved.
“Irrespective of the style they’re using, they’re playing winning cricket and that’s the thing everyone gravitates towards,” Vettori said.
“The fact that they’ve played so well over an extended period of time has been what’s so impressive.
“Brendon wouldn’t want to make the attention about himself, but he’s got this moniker going for him now. That’s Brendan since he came out of the womb – he’s pretty positive.
“England keep coming and so you’ve got to anticipate that and not back off.”
England are hoping that Stokes is able to play a full part in the five-Test series following his struggle with a knee injury that has required a cortisone injection.
However, there is uncertainty over what contribution their talisman will be able to make with the ball after he was unable to bowl in his side’s most recent outing against New Zealand in February.
“We’re preparing for him to be his normal self. He’s one of the top all-rounders in world cricket. We know how much he brings to the table as an all-rounder,” Vettori said.
“It’s like Cameron Green for us, offering that balance and ability to come in and be an aggressive weapon along with his batting, which has been exceptional.
“Every team wants their all-rounder up and running because it makes things run so smoothly.”
While England warm-up for the Ashes with a one-off Test against Ireland, Australia face India in the ICC World Test Championship final at the Oval.
Vettori is undecided over who has the better build-up.
“Ask me again on the back of these four days of prep!” the former spin bowler said.
“But there’s a real excitement that we have the ability to play one of the best teams in the world in such a crucial game and that should set us up well for the Ashes.
“It’s six Tests of high intensity and you couldn’t ask for anything more.”
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