In the wake of the news that Owen Farrell has decided to take a break from international duty, to 'prioritise his mental well being', Wales head coach Warren Gatland has shared some of his stories of abusive fans and trolls.
Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Gatland describes a particularly 'unsettling' and ongoing incident that involves a troll, or 'Irish d***head' as Gatland has him down in his phone, who managed to acquire Gatland's number and has been sending him 'snidey' messages over the last few years.
Warren Gatland Tells Shocking Story Of Irish Troll
"I am largely protected from the abuse because I am not on social media", Gatland writes.
But my family are, and they see things and it can seep through.
And, for a few years now I have been targeted by a troll who managed to get hold of my mobile phone number and has been sending me smart, snidey comments.
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4 February 2023; Wales head coach Warren Gatland, right, and Ireland head coach Andy Farrell during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Wales and Ireland at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Earlier in the year, Farrell came in for a serious amount of vitriol online following a dangerous tackle on Wales' Taine Basham.
His father and Ireland head coach, Andy Farrell, called out the abuse, and a similar story from Gatland does well at hammering home why Farrell backed his son so passionately:
"I can still vividly remember a comment that I read after my son Bryn had just missed a long-range kick at goal from the sideline when he had come on for the Auckland Blues. It said something like: “I couldn’t care if Bryn Gatland didn’t wake up tomorrow morning.”
"I am old enough and have been long enough in this game to shrug off most barbs, but as a father that one was hard to take. It was why I could completely understand Andy Farrell’s defence of his son following the vitriolic abuse Owen received following his red card for his tackle against Taine Basham during our defeat by England at Twickenham in August."
The topic of abuse in rugby has largely centred around referees, but with Farrell taking a deserved and called for break, it may be the wake up call that the sport needs to stamp out this behaviour.
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