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By Jeremy Inson
Wales finished bottom of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations with three points after five defeats. It is the second consecutive year that they have finished winless, having been whitewashed in 2024 with four points.
No-one seems to do rugby dramas quite like the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), and 2025 was another to add to the long list.
After starting the tournament on a run of 12 defeats under the previously lauded Warren Gatland, the Kiwi left after two lethargic displays against France and Italy leaving him Wales’s most successful and least successful coach.
Into the gap stepped Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt who steadied but added defeats 15, 16 and 17.
He has no desire to take on the role full-time, so the WRU’s first job is deciding on the structure and then find a head coach, director of rugby or both.
On the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly former captain Sam Warburton put forward the idea of removing the Dragons to leave three United Rugby Championship (URC) teams and a more condensed player pool.
That will take time, as will any hope of the much longed-for Anglo-Welsh league. As he pointed out, would the English even be interested?
Ultimately, the WRU cannot dither. They did so when Gatland reportedly proffered his resignation at the end of the 2024 Six Nations. It was rejected out of hand by the WRU, without stepping back and asking if continuing with Gatland was worth it.
Infuriatingly, he continued with his policy of round pegs in square holes, notably centre Ben Thomas as fly-half, when Gareth Anscombe who is first-choice 10 with Gloucester was fit and available.
Once Anscombe returned, Thomas moved to centre alongside Max Llewellyn and things improved despite defeats to Ireland and Scotland. Then came the performance against England and you understand how far they have fallen.
Which is a shame, as the likes of Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, Dafydd Jenkins, and Jac Morgan showed that they are test level. They just need the off-field organisation to match them.