Gatland confident Wales-England will go ahead amid strike threat

Warren Gatland says he is confident that Wales' Guinness Six Nations clash against England will go ahead. A threat of strike action by Wales players hangs over the showpiece fixture, which is due to take place in Cardiff next Saturday. A new six-year financial agreement between the Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four professional regions - Dragons, Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets - has not yet been signed off in writing after months of discussion.

The regions are braced for financial cuts, but no playing budgets have been finalised for next season, so no contracts can be offered in writing. Talks were continuing over the weekend in an attempt to try and resolve the situation, with a deadline of Wednesday understood to have been set by the players. The players want representation at Professional Rugby Board meetings, removal of the contentious 60-cap selection rule in Wales whereby a player plying his trade outside the country cannot be picked unless he has made at least that number of Test appearances, and concern about contracts that have fixed-variable elements accounting for 20 per cent of salaries.

"I expect the game is going to be played. I have seen these sort of things happen in the past and I am confident the game will go ahead," Wales head coach Gatland said. "The boys have been great in training.

I have just got to put all that sort of stuff aside and make sure that we focus on the game. "It hasn't been the easiest few weeks, but sometimes that focuses the mind and gives you the resolve to focus on the job at hand, and that is preparing the team the best way we possibly can as a group as coaches for next week." On the 60-cap rule, Gatland added: "I am not sure it is fit for purpose at the moment. There is an