Wales v England will go ahead this Saturday in Cardiff after a potential player strike was averted.
The Six Nations fixture had been in doubt up until late on Wednesday, with Wales players considering strike action in response to a dispute with Welsh rugby bosses over a contract freeze and lack of long-term funding plan for the game in Wales.
However, compromises and certain player demands have been met by the player-imposed deadline of Wednesday, and the fixture is now back on. Had it not gone ahead, it would have cost the Welsh Rugby Union almost £10million.
What time is Wales v England Six Nations kick-off?
Wales v England will kick off at 4.45pm on Saturday, February 25, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
When is Warren Gatland's Wales team announcement?
Warren Gatland will now officially name his Wales team to face England on Thursday, around noon. He had been due to reveal his matchday 23 on Tuesday, before postponing it and cancelling that day's afternoon training session to allow players to focus on off-field matters.
What TV channel is Wales v England on? What about live streaming?
Wales v England will be broadcast live on BBC and S4C, with live streaming available on BBC iPlayer and S4C Clic.
What was Wales' dispute with the WRU about?
Essentially, Welsh rugby players have grown impatient for some time about powerbrokers not officially signing off a six-year funding deal for Welsh rugby. A verbal agreement on a six-year framework was reached before Christmas but has not been rubber-stamped.
That has meant that regions — Cardiff, Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons — do not yet know their budgets for next season, meaning they cannot sign or retain players on new contracts.
We're now in a situation where players are turning out for their clubs not knowing where they will be playing their rugby, if at all, in a matter of months.
Players wanted job security, and the Wales squad leveraged their position ahead of their final home Six Nations fixture on behalf of all professional regional players.
There was a meeting on Wednesday morning of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which runs the professional game in Wales and is made up of representatives from the WRU and four region.
On Wednesday afternoon, the PRB, including chair Malcolm Wall, WRU acting chief executive Nigel Walker and regional bosses, met more than 100 of Wales' pro players at the Vale Resort, the WRU's training base, for an 80-minute summit.
Walker and Wall then attended a virtual WRU board meeting before a further meeting with Wales captain Ken Owens.
Wales players had wanted three issues resolved before they agreed to take the pitch at the Principality Stadium.
They were seeking:
- Wales Rugby Players' Association (WRPA) representation at PRB meetings. This has been agreed.
- The removal of the controversial 60-cap selection rule in Wales, whereby a player cannot be selected for international duty if they play club rugby outside of Wales unless they have at least 60 caps. This will be lowered to 25 caps.
- The removal of Welsh rugby bosses' demands that players accept 80% in set wages, with 20% available in bonuses. Players and agents will now have the option of a fixed contract with a smaller guaranteed salary or a fixed and variable deal, with the potential to earn more.
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