Warren Gatland was bemused that he was unable to re-hire Rob Howley as Wales attack coach and is adamant he should be forgiven for breaching betting rules.
Gatland, returning for his second stint in charge of Wales, had earmarked Howley as a key member of his coaching ticket for the 2023 Six Nations and Rugby World Cup.
But the New Zealander was blocked from reappointing Howley by senior Welsh Rugby Union figures, despite the former scrum-half proving an integral part of Gatland's backroom staff in his first 12 years in the Wales hot seat.