SHAUN EDWARDS WAS conspicuous by his absence in Paris on Saturday night as Wales ended their Six Nations title bid with a limp defeat to France.
Now it seems the assistant coach was suspended following an altercation with a fellow staff member on the team bus a week earlier. The set-to was sparked when a back-room official sang an Irish folk song in the wake of Wales’ controversial win over Declan Kidney’s men at the Millennium Stadium.
Wales Online report that Edwards was suspended for a week, and fined, after the alleged incident with sports scientist Fergus Connolly, who was also said to be banned for a similar period.
The website reports: “We have learned the two men exchanged words over the song as the Welsh team were travelling back to their Vale of Glamorgan HQ after the thrilling 19-13 triumph over Brian O’Driscoll’s Ireland the previous Saturday.
"The incident spilt over once the team bus arrived at the Vale and Gatland decided he was compelled to take disciplinary action.
"Wales attempted to keep the matter under wraps, but news of the confrontation leaked out moments before the Six Nations finale with France."
The WRU, claiming it has nothing to do with them and is simply a case of players utilising a code or protocol, have refused to comment. Gatland would not be drawn on the incident this weekend.
Captain Matthew Rees simply refused to talk about the story and shook his head when questioned, according to the Telegraph while former skipper Ryan Jones said "it had been dealt with in-house".
