Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland has hit out at the supporters who booed five-eighth Rhys Priestland as he made his way onto the pitch during last Saturday’s loss to Australia.
Priestland, 27, was jeered by a small band of home fans in the 55,000 crowd at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium after being sent on to replace the injured Dan Biggar shortly after halftime in Wales’s 33-28 defeat.
Former Wales captain Ryan Jones took to Twitter to brand those responsible a “disgrace” and Gatland struck a similar tone after naming the Scarlets No.10 in his team to play Fiji in Cardiff on Saturday.
“I only heard today that he was booed,” Gatland said.
“The way with social media and stuff and criticism, you feel for Rhys a little bit because he’s been hammered on social media by certain sections.
“He’s a young man who at one stage contemplated giving the game away because it wasn’t worth taking that sort of personal criticism.”
Priestland converted a 64th-minute penalty try to put Wales 28-27 ahead against Australia, only for Bernard Foley to give the tourists victory with a late drop-goal and penalty.
“I thought he (Priestland) did pretty well when he went on at the weekend,” Gatland added.
“I just hope he goes out, plays well and puts two fingers up to the section of the crowd that may have been booing him last week.
“It’s something I don’t think we need in the game.”
Biggar’s injury led to a recall for Gloucester playmaker James Hook, who was surprisingly left out of Gatland’s initial squad for the November Tests in spite of his 76-cap experience.
Cardiff Blues prop Gethin Jenkins will captain a rejigged Wales team for their clash with Fiji.
Jenkins takes over from Paul James in the front row, while Scott Baldwin of Ospreys will make his first Wales start at hooker.
Flanker Sam Warburton, the regular captain, is being rested, but there are recalls in the backs for fit-again centre Scott Williams and halfback Mike Phillips.
Biggar suffered a groin injury against the Wallabies, while Liam Williams moves from wing to fullback instead of Leigh Halfpenny, who went off with mild concussion during the Australia game.
Wales team: Liam Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate; Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies; Samson Lee, Scott Baldwin, Gethin Jenkins (capt). Res: Emyr Phillips, Nicky Smith, Rhodri Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, James King, Rhodri Williams, James Hook, Cory Allen.
