Rugby Union: Wales players' selection warning

Page last updated at 19:31 GMT, Thursday, 19 February 2009

Wales players' selection warning

Gavin Henson (circled) photographed in Cardiff city centre Wales team manager Alan Phillips has refused to rule out selection for the clash against France being affected by the conduct of players on a night out. Gavin Henson, Andy Powell, Rhys Thomas and Jonathan Thomas were rebuked by the Welsh Rugby Union for their behaviour. Team-mates Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips were also warned over events on Sunday. Wales team manager Alan Phillips said: "Well I can't say about that [selection] at the minute. We'll just see what happens on Monday." Wales face France in Paris in the Six Nations on Friday 27 February with fans carrying expectations of victory on the way to a back-to-back Grand Slam. Phillips told BBC Wales' Scrum V Radio: "I wouldn't say it's been a difficult week. "I mean, take into account we've beaten England last Saturday and the difficulty has been instead of everybody returning to camp yesterday [Wednesday] deliriously happy, there was a bit of a cloud over proceedings. "And we dealt with the issues yesterday. The six boys that were out on Sunday were fully aware of the situation going forward. "They let us down. They apologised to the players and management as a group and took a bit of gyp off the boys there and they put their hands up and owned up to being out, which is something that we didn't want on Sunday and we just shut the book there and move on. "They are fully aware of [their responsibilities] and that's where we left it. We'll make life a little bit difficult for the six of them for the next week or two and just keep hammering home their responsibilities, and not just to the team, but to the Welsh public in general Wales team manager Alan Phillips "Anything that's been done internally will stay internally. Just to say we'll make life a little bit difficult for the six of them for the next week or two and just keep hammering home their responsibilities, and not just to the team, but to the Welsh public in general. "We've talked about this three or four weeks ago. It's tough times, people losing their jobs... very important that we as a group of people conduct ourselves properly and that wasn't the case on Sunday, but they are fully aware of that. "Certainly [it's more high profile than it was in my day], but we don't want to stop them going out either and mixing with the public. "If someone wants to go out for lunch or a quiet beer we have got no problems with that. "But it's very important that we respect our position and we treat people properly." The players were questioned by team managers about what they were doing in Cardiff city centre on Sunday. Henson in particular apologised to "any member of the public he offended". All six players were warned about "their various levels of involvement". Wales had beaten England 23-15 at the Millennium Stadium in the Six Nations the day before, when Byrne, Powell and Phillips all played. Players had met at the Queen's Vaults pub in Cardiff city centre The WRU said Henson, Powell, Rhys Thomas and Jonathan Thomas were "rebuked" after each admitted to "varying degrees of regrettable conduct". The players had met at the Queen's Vaults in Westgate Street, opposite the Millennium Stadium in the city centre. Eye witnesses had called for an apology, claiming Henson was abusive and had to be taken out of the pub. The Ospreys star did not play in Wales' victory because of injury. Onlookers said Henson, the partner of singer and TV presenter Charlotte Church, was seen messing about with pool balls on the three tables in the pub and was abusive when anyone took issue with him. Another man who videoed Henson on his mobile said the player tried to grab the mobile and then told him that it was none of his business. The eye witnesses said the other players were just enjoying their night out and tried to calm things down. Full-back Byrne took Henson out of the pub while scrum-half Phillips publicly apologised over the pub's sound system. Phillips and number eight Andy Powell stayed on to talk to customers. Another onlooker later saw Henson outside the pub, throwing his money around telling people to take it. South Wales Police confirmed officers were called to St Mary Street at around 2115 GMT on Sunday after reports of a disturbance. A fixed penalty notice was issued to someone for a public order offence, but not one of the players.