Gatland Fails to Keep it in the Family

Alan-Wyn Jones probably didn't sleep too well on Saturday night, nor Sunday night for that matter. It was his intended trip on Dylan Hartley that resulted in a yellow card and ten minutes in the sin bin at Twickenham, a time in which England scored 17 unanswered points against the 14-man Wales, and won the RBS Six Nations opener. A superb second row forward, who toured with the British & Irish Lions, Jones will probably ask himself until the day he hangs up his boots why he decided to attempt such a professional foul on the England hooker. In rugby terms it was a complete no-no. The truth is it was a spontaneous, out of character reaction which cannot be explained, not least by himself. Although head coach Warren Gatland had every right to be angry with his lock was it right to vent his anger quite so publicly in front of the world's press? Usually these things are handled in the dressing room, or at least away from the glare of the media spotlight. Of course, the media's not complaining. It made good copy. But solidarity is the key to team success, and one wonders whether the post-match reaction will be as damaging as the trip was in the first place?