On the issue of player welfare, Warren Gatland’s comments about Billy Vunipola pulling out of the Lions Tour are pretty despicable:
“I spoke to Billy and he just felt he couldn’t give us 100 per Cent.
“It [Vunipola’s shoulder] was popping out during games and being strapped.
“I did try to persuade him to come over and be assessed and look at managing him but he was adamant that he was not right. If someone is not 100 per cent right in terms of their commitment, I fully understand and respect that decision.”
So what Gatland is saying is that a player should put his long term health and fitness at risk if he is asked do so, and the fact that Billy wasn’t prepared to do that is a sign of lack of commitment?
Wazzock.
