Rugby World Cup: Gatland unlikely to face investigation over injury feigning comments

Wales coach Warren Gatland looks unlikely to face an International Rugby Board investigation after his controversial comments about faking injury.Gatland has revealed that he considered asking a front-row forward to feign injury and force uncontested scrums during the World Cup semi-final defeat against France last Saturday.

His remarks were made during a press conference three days ahead of Wales’ World Cup bronze medal match against Australia.

Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis said that Gatland should be praised for deciding against the fake injury move.

The IRB is aware of Gatland’s comments, although it has yet to make any official response.

Gatland had already seen prop Adam Jones depart with a calf muscle injury against France, and then eight minutes later Wales captain Sam Warburton was sent off. Despite being reduced to 14 men for more than an hour, Wales scored the game’s only try through scrum-half Mike Phillips and lost 9-8.

Gatland, still disappointed by referee Alain Rolland’s decision to send Warburton off, revealed that in the wake of the red card the coaches talked about faking an injury. He said: “I just thought on that occasion, given the significance of a World Cup semi-final, to give a yellow card would have been an appropriate decision.

“That is why they are appointed as the top referees in the world, because they make the right decisions.”