Ioan Cunningham looks set to become first casualty after Telegraph Sport found WRU pressured players during contract negotiations
: Getty Images/Johan Rynners
Ioan Cunningham, the head coach of Wales women, looks set to become the first casualty of the fallout from his players’ botched contract negotiations earlier this year.
Although the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) have insisted that Cunningham remains in his role, the BBC has suggested that his departure will be confirmed imminently.
Telegraph Sport’s extensive investigation found that Cunningham repeatedly approached players and spoke to them about signing new deals during this year’s Six Nations, even though the Women’s Rugby Association (WRA) had been appointed to negotiate on the players’ behalf.
Other coercive tactics included threats from Nigel Walker, the WRU’s executive director of rugby, warning that if players did not sign contracts then the offers would be withdrawn and that the union would forfeit the squad’s place at the WXV2 tournament in South Africa. This would therefore surrender Wales’s place at next year’s World Cup in England.
: PA/David Davies
Finally, players were given an ultimatum with a three-hour deadline to sign contracts. The cancellation of fixtures and the removal of training were proposed as consequences.
‘We should have done better’
A grovelling apology followed Telegraph Sport’s investigation, with WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood stressing that it was “absolutely clear” that the players should receive an apology.
“This is not a good day for us, we totally accept that,” he said.
“We should have done better and we didn’t, but we have learnt our lessons and we will keep trying to improve,” said Collier-Keywood, who also argued that it would be unfair to “lay the blame at an individual’s door” after a “complex series of events”.
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