Gatland only has five days

Wales coach Warren Gatland is locked in a row with the four Welsh regions with regards to player release for the coming November Tests.

Wales coach Warren Gatland is locked in a row with the four Welsh regions with regards to player release for the coming November Tests.

Originally Gatland had wanted a 13-day release period ahead of his side's opening Test, against South Africa on November 8. However he has now been informed he will only see the players released five days before that game.

The change in plan is due to the EDF Cup matches, a tournament that many sides have traditionally used a s a development ground anyway.

“The players are going to be hampered with having only five days preparation,” Gatland told Scrum V.

“Having made a formal request to the regions to release the players a week before the first game against South Africa, they've come back and said 'no' and I'm pretty disappointed about it.”

The IRB rules state that clubs are only obliged to release their players a minimum of five days before any given Test match.

Gatland, who led Wales to the Grand Slam last year, doesn't believe the regions have a problem with him personally, rather, he believes the players are being used as pawns as tensions between the regions and the WRU continue to grow.

“I think there's issues going forward with the participation agreement between the regions and the WRU,” Gatland said.

“We are really trying hard to form relationships with the coaches and the regions.

“And I've really asked them to try and separate the players and the national team and national management from the issues that the regions have with the Union.

“Unfortunately, players are being used as pawns in some of the problems and the arguments that they have with negotiating with the Union.”

Wales start their November Tests by hosting South Africa on 8 November, they then play Canada on 14 November, New Zealand on the 22 and Australia on 29 November.