Wales manager Warren Gatland addressed allegations of a “toxic culture” in the Welsh Rugby Union, saying that “there are always two sides to every story”.

In a BBC program broadcast on Monday night, former WRU staff say the organization has a “toxic culture” in which one staff member used racist language in a meeting and another said he wanted to “rape” a colleague. . The WRU insists that an investigation has been carried out and that the allegations remain unfounded. You can read details of the allegations and WRU’s full response here.

When Gatland faced the media during the launch of the Six Nations on Monday, the Wales manager was asked about the allegations and whether he accepted the culture depicted.

“I can only speak from experience,” Gatland said. “It’s hard when you’re in a team environment, that’s all you have to communicate with your coaches and players every day.

“I only found out about these things in the last few days. I didn’t know much about it and I’m just trying to keep up to date.

“All I can say is that these questions are easy to ask, but there are two sides to every story. You probably know more about this than I do.”

In a separate interview with the BBC, Gatland said: “For me it’s something I don’t know much about, I was out of the World Cup in 2019.

“I haven’t really read a lot of press about the material. It’s like anything, there are two sides to every story, and I hope you find a balance to make sure both sides are represented properly.”

The Wales manager, who returns to the role for the second time after having managed Wales from 2008 to 2019, was also asked about the importance of a strong culture.

“I think that’s always one of the most important things in terms of creating a positive team culture,” he added. “I always talk about the importance of family and what it means.

“I’m a big believer in not just talking the talk, but walking and keeping the balance on and off the field. If you do it in an environment without excuses, you can provide the best possible conditions and quality training, you give the guys the right balance and hopefully you get a good performance out of the players.”

The Wales star will be dropped from the Six Nations as Gatland’s replacement was last selected six years ago.

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