Wales have attempted to close ranks on an alleged incident involving their defence coach Shaun Edwards.
Defence coach absent from Paris defeat
Wales have attempted to close ranks on an alleged incident involving their defence coach Shaun Edwards.
Edwards, head coach of Aviva Premiership club Wasps, did not travel to Paris for Wales' RBS Six Nations finale against France on Saturday night.
The former Wigan and Great Britain rugby league star stayed away while Wales painfully unravelled at the Stade de France, conceding three tries and suffering their heaviest Six Nations defeat for five years.
It has been reported the 44-year-old was disciplined following an alleged confrontation with a fellow member of Wales' backroom team after last Saturday's victory over Ireland.
The incident is said to have happened at the Wales squad's Vale Hotel training base, but there has so far been no official comment from the Welsh Rugby Union or from Edwards.
Neither Wales coach Warren Gatland nor any of his players were prepared to shed light on the exact reasons for Edwards' Paris absence.
Internal matter
"That is an internal matter that I am not prepared to discuss in public," said Gatland, when asked after Wales' 28-9 reversal if the issue had adversely affected his side's preparations.
Captain Matthew Rees simply shook his head when asked the same question, while several of Rees' team-mates delivered guarded responses when quizzed on the subject.
Full-back Lee Byrne said: "It has been dealt with in-house, that's all I can say on that matter."
Flanker Dan Lydiate added: "That (Edwards' absence) is not the reason why we lost the game - it was down to our own personal performances."
Both Ryan Jones and Adam Jones also repeated the "dealt with in-house" line, but it is thought that Edwards will be involved in preparations for Wales' next game.
They do not play again until a Millennium Stadium appointment with the Barbarians on June 4, which is followed in August by World Cup warm-up Tests against England, who they will play twice, and Argentina.
Warburton injury
Back on the field, Wales are awaiting news on star flanker Sam Warburton, who limped off after just 16 minutes at Stade de France because of a knee injury and was due to undergo a scan.
Gatland said: "Sam being injured was a big loss for us. I think he has been one of the players of the tournament.
"Hopefully, the injury is not too serious and it doesn't keep him out for too long."
Wales' fourth-placed finish meant for the 10th time in 12 Six Nations campaigns they ended up outside the tournament's top three, with England crowned champions despite seeing their Grand Slam hopes snuffed out by Ireland.
Gatland added: "I don't think the Six Nations was probably the best it's been.
"But probably the best thing about the Six Nations is any side on its day is capable of beating the others.
"So it is probably one of the closest Six Nations that we've had for a long time, which is hugely positive for this tournament going forward.
"Perhaps, in the past, you would go into the Six Nations and everyone would talk about France and England and say that should be the last game of the tournament.
"But I think the fact that the other teams have come on so much is really positive for this tournament."
