Coach Warren Gatland will name Wales' Six Nations squad on Monday

Wales coach Warren Gatland has praised the regions for granting him the Six Nations player access he desired.

The Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four regions have agreed Gatland will have his Grand Slam winners for 13 days before their opener in Scotland.

"I'd like to thank the regions for helping support us as it will significantly help us," said Gatland.

"We're trying to find balance that benefits both the regions and national team. So I'm delighted."

Wales - whose Six Nations campaign starts at Murrayfield on Sunday, 8 February - also have first call on the players for the entire Six Nations, even though there are two weekends of regional matches during the tournament.

Previously, the Ospreys, Dragons, Scarlets and Blues had only agreed to follow regulations set down by the International Rugby Board (IRB).

This would have allowed eight days international access and these rules that will still apply to Gatland's players based outside Wales.

The IRB rules would have allowed the regions to recall their players on 29 and 30 January, even though there are no league or cup regional matches on the following weekend.

606: DEBATE How big a boost is this political peace for Wales?

The Scarlets have a showpiece game against the Barbarians at Parc y Scarlets on 31 January - but coach Nigel Davies was not expected to include any of Wales' Six Nations squad players for the Scarlets' prestigious friendly.

But Gatland, who secured a Six Nations clean sheet in his first campaign as Wales coach last season, now has his players' full attention.

"We want to do well and want the regions to do well," he told BBC Sport.

"And, by and large, the regions have done well this season.

"The preparation time is vitally important to me as we want to get the players together, familiarising them with the calls and moves and what we're trying to achieve.

"For us coaches, it'll be going back to basics so we can put things in place."

The Kiwi added: "I've tried as much as I can to keep out of the politics and many of the issues were there before I started.

"The relationship between the national and regional coaches is incredibly positive and we hope to have a new participation agreement between the regions and the union so Welsh rugby can move forward."

The latest discussions had followed an autumn of chaos in Welsh rugby, revolving around talks over a new participation agreement between the regions and the WRU.

The row erupted when Gatland asked for 13 days with his squad to prepare for playing world champions South Africa in Cardiff on 8 November.

The regions refused and insisted they would release their players after the final round of EDF Energy Cup pool games, leaving just five days for Gatland to prepare his side.

Wales' four regions then turned down the WRU's player-release compromise of eight days.

The benefactors of Wales' clubs took the extreme step to form a new company Regional Rugby Wales, headed by former WRU boss David Moffett.

Moffett then engaged in a bitter and personal war of words with current union chief Roger Lewis.

The WRU eventually secured the eight-day deal in a High Court order, prompting a furious response from Moffett.

"I think there was a little bit of frustration in the autumn," admits Gatland.

"As we did not have the full preparation time for the game against South Africa and that did affect us a little bit.

"So this agreement is a big boost for us."

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