Coach Gatland blasted for ‘weak Premiership’ rant
PREMIERSHIP chiefs have hit back at Wales coach Warren Gatland after he criticised the standard of the English top flight.
Gatland said he had not picked Sale prop Eifion Lewis-Roberts for next month’s Test against New Zealand because the Premiership was “weak”.
But Premier Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty yesterday responded by accusing Gatland of having an ulterior motive.
“It was a pretty cheap shot, I thought,” said McCafferty. “What’s going on underneath is that Wales have organised an extra international themselves. They know full well they don’t have the ability to call up players from outside of Wales on a compulsory basis so I think maybe there’s a bit of feeling about that maybe.”
New Zealander Gatland, who led Wales to the Grand Slam in 2008, said the current standard of the Premiership was “the weakest since I’ve been up here the northern hemisphere”.
But McCafferty defended the division, pointing to increased crowds as evidence of the game’s progress. He added: “The fact is attendances are up 17 per cent this year, and in one particular match – Saracens against Northampton at Wembley Stadium – there were more supporters there than in the entire Celtic League.”