Wales begin preparations

The extended Welsh squad gathered at their Vale of Glamorgan base to prepare for the Test against the Springboks in Cardiff on November 8, after a court order that their four unions' players should be made available for training.

The extended Welsh squad gathered at their Vale of Glamorgan base to prepare for the Test against the Springboks in Cardiff on November 8, after a court order that their four unions' players should be made available for training.

While they started training on Monday – the day that national coach Warren Gatland had requested – there was a grave warning from the regions chairman Dave Moffett that the relationship between the four regions and the Wales Rugby Union (WRU) are at an all-time low.

The argument stems from the fact that the regions would not release their players before next week – just five days before their Test against the Springboks – and forced the WRU to obtain a court ruling on the matter.

In terms of the court ruling the national squad could train on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week and the entire five days prior to the game next Saturday.

“This is a victory for the fans of Welsh rugby,” said WRU chief Roger Lewis, who is confident that that the WRU's injunction will “positively impact” on the new agreement to start next season.

“Wales will face the world champions on November 8 and we have taken this action to ensure they have time to prepare properly for that historic encounter.”

Coach Gatland's squad face South Africa, Canada, New Zealand and Australia all looming for a sizzling quartet of Millennium Stadium clashes over the next five weeks.

The match against World Champions South Africa is already a sell-out as is the clash against the All Blacks two weeks later.