Wales stars warned over future conduct

Wales’ Test match stars can expect to face grave consequences if there is any repeat of the behaviour which soured their RBS 6 Nations victory over England.

Four players – Gavin Henson, Andy Powell, Jonathan Thomas and Rhys Thomas - were formally rebuked by the Wales management after admitting what the Welsh Rugby Union termed “varying degrees of regrettable conduct” while out celebrating in a Cardiff bar four days ago.

The episode came barely 24 hours after Wales remained on course for a second successive Six Nations Grand Slam by defeating Millennium Stadium visitors England 23-15.

Only Cardiff Blues number eight Powell, of the players involved, featured in last Saturday’s game.

Henson though, who has been recovering from a calf muscle injury, could feature against France in Paris next Friday night.

Wales team manager Alan Phillips has revealed the players concerned stood up and apologised to their squad colleagues during a meeting yesterday.

But Phillips, who addressed the issue alongside Wales head coach Warren Gatland, admitted the whole matter had “made life difficult.”

Phillips said: “Last Sunday wasn’t part of going out, really.

“We had managed things well on Saturday night as a team. We didn’t stop anyone having a few beers in a controlled environment to celebrate the win, because there were two weeks to the next game.

“There was no need for anyone to be out on Sunday.

“We were disappointed, to say the least. We should have turned in on Wednesday, really bouncing and happy after a very good win, but this has just made life difficult for two or three days.

“We don’t expect to see a repeat of it.

“The boys are intelligent enough to know that if there is a repeat of this, we won’t be so charitable.”

Wales have quickly grown a reputation under no-nonsense New Zealander Gatland for their togetherness as a squad and a fearless work ethic that has underpinned an unbeaten Six Nations record since he took charge in November 2007.

He will unquestionably have read the riot act to Henson and company, whose response to Wales’ high-level investigation came in the form of a public apology.

An injury-plagued Henson has not played for Wales since last season’s Grand Slam-clinching win against France, although a return is now possible when Gatland names his Test 22 for France next Monday.

Henson and Jonathan Thomas are both on the verge of comebacks following injuries, while Newport Gwent Dragons prop Thomas currently cannot find a way into Gatland’s team.

Phillips added: “We are dealing with young people, aged between 20 and 30, and some people handle disappointments in different ways.

“People who are disappointed have got to be able to handle that disappointment and understand that going out and drinking alcohol is not the answer to that disappointment.

“The problem is twice as big the following day.

“Even professionals have a blow-out, let’s not get away from it, rugby players and football players.

“These boys are on a treadmill for 10 or 11 months of the year, every other week they are away from home travelling, and there are a lot of demands on them.

“People need to have a blow-out occasionally, but there is a time and a place for it. It has got to be controlled.”

Phillips added that none of the players involved had “tried to hide away from the facts”.

He said: “The boys were very forthcoming. They got up (in the meeting) and apologised – they were pretty frank.

“People have fronted up, they haven’t run away or made excuses. The pressures they are under, people will slip up occasionally.

“When we sit back and analyse it all, there were three very frustrated blokes out there on Sunday.

“What they need to learn is to handle their frustration in a different way. Everyone knows the score.”

Gatland, meanwhile, looks set to face minimal injury concerns ahead of the Paris trip, with Henson, his fellow centre Jamie Roberts (shoulder) and wing Shane Williams (ankle) all likely to be available for selection.

A Welsh triumph at Stade de France would see them equal the Six Nations record of nine successive wins, and leave them two more victories away from achieving first back-to-back Grand Slams since 1909.