Woodward questions Welsh decision on 'A' side
December 24, 2002

England boss Clive Woodward had questioned the Welsh Rugby Union's decision to axe their 'A' side.

Talking in the Guardian newspaper Woodward said, "I'd be very disappointed if this happened.

"The A games are a good development tool for the Six Nations countries, and this seems to be taking things in the wrong direction."

New WRU chief executive David Moffett is desperate to make cuts in the union's budget to the total of £1m as he attempts to return the country to the great times of the past.

The decision to scrap the 'A' team set up could save the Union around £170,000 a year.

However their plans could be yet scuppered by the other Home Nations and France insisting on that they fulfil their fixtures this season.

Earlier this week, Wales coach Steve Hansen revealed that the Wales A side will tour Fiji next year in place of the full national squad.

"It's important to make sure you have an A team - there's no doubt about that," Hansen told BBC Wales Sport.

"But the circumstances have been explained to me and we've just got to accept this year that financially we can't afford to run one in the Six Nations.

"But it's not all doom and gloom because there'll be an A tour to Fiji which will take the place of the national team."

He added: "We're not in good shape financially so some things have to go.

"No-one wants to have an A team more than myself, but we've just got to accept we won't have one this season."

Wales A coach Mike Ruddock admitted he is "gutted" by the decision to scrap the team.

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