NEW Wales captain Michael Owen has furiously denied player power had any part in the removal of Mike Ruddock and insists the former coach always had the support of the players.

He says the players have been hurt by all the criticism directed at them and he mounts a strong defence of Gareth Thomas who he has succeeded as captain after being forced to rest for three months with a damaged artery in his neck.

"It's been quite difficult because certain things have been written and said about player power which have been hurtful," said Owen in an exclusive interview with the Argus.

"I know for a fact that the support we gave Mike was the same on his last day as coach as it was on the first day.

"A lot of the criticism has been directed at Alfie (Gareth Thomas) after the Scrum V programme. But that's unfair because he's a good captain who is only trying to do his best for the team.

"I've been trying not to watch the television or read the papers because you can get wound up with all the mud that's been thrown around.

"But the people doing that have got to take a look at themselves because they're part of the problem.

They stoke it up but they've got to realise they're part of Welsh rugby as well and could try to be more interested in the game and comment on that rather than being negative all the time and concentrating on other issues."