Wales selection saga not my fault: Gatland

Oct 24, 2017 - 9:34 PM Warren Gatland believes he has been subjected to "unfair" criticism over the Rhys Webb saga that is currently dominating Welsh rugby.

Wales head coach Gatland has named the Ospreys scrumhalf in a 36-man squad for this season's autumn Tests that begin against Australia on November 11.

Webb, though, will be ineligible to represent Wales when he joins French heavyweights Toulon next term - a move which potentially also rules him out of 2019 World Cup contention.

A change to the Welsh Rugby Union's senior player selection policy, which was announced last week, prevents players who sign new deals that take effect from next term onwards and ply their trade outside Wales from representing their country unless they have won 60 caps or more.

Star performer Webb is considerably under that 60-cap mark, and he looks set to be the highest-profile casualty of a new system agreed between the Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four professional regions - Ospreys, Dragons, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues.

"There was a lot of criticism of myself over this, and I felt that was unfair," Gatland said.

"The policy we have is better (than the previous wild-card-based one), and I feel for Rhys in that he is not going to be available for the World Cup. We had a good chat about that when we met up last Saturday.

Reflecting further on the new system. Gatland added: "I was consulted on it (change of policy). I wasn't involved in the process."

Source: AAP