The Albany Gazette - Wales' rugby woes - three talking points

Matt Sherratt was appointed on an interim basis for this season's remaining Six Nations games, starting with the Irish before a trip to Scotland and a home fixture against England.

The crisis facing the game in Wales, however, is not only at international level but also within the wider rugby community.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points:

- International strife -

Wales last won a Test a long time ago: a victory over Georgia in the pool stage of the 2023 World Cup in Nantes.

Gatland's second spell as Wales coach proved markedly less successful than his first, from 2007-19.

That yielded four Six Nations titles -- including three Grand Slams -- and two appearances in World Cup semi-finals.

But the 61-year-old found wins harder to come by since replacing compatriot Wayne Pivac as Wales coach in December 2022: Wales won just six times in 26 Tests

Wales opened this year's Six Nations with a 43-0 thrashing by France before capitulating 22-15 to Italy in Rome. The results saw the side slip to a new low of 12th in the world rankings.

Gatland, who blooded more than 20 younger players after a raft of more experienced heads retired, admitted that he was going into matches "nervous, probably not feeling that sort of positivity and not having that belief".

Sherratt made wholesale changes for the match at home to the reigning Six Nations champions. A loss would create a new Welsh record of nine Five or Six Nations defeats in a row.

"I want the players to be brave. If they see space, I don’t want us to die wondering," he said.

- Union in crosshairs -

To give an idea of the muddled state of affairs, many pundits and armchair critics have questioned whether Gatland leaving was in fact the right move.

One wag argued that getting rid of the New Zealander was like riding a donkey in the Grand National and then sacking the jockey.

The finger by some has instead been pointed squarely at the WRU, with chief executive Abi Tierney coming in for major criticism.

Tierney took up her role in January 2024 and inherited numerous problems ranging from players' contractual issues to allegations of sexism and misogyny within the governing body, as well as the stuttering form of the national and regional sides.

One of the longest-running debates among Welsh rugby followers has been the state of the nation's four current regional teams, established in 2003.

Fan disengagement is still evident as the regions fail to excite the faithful who used to flock to see the likes of Cardiff, Llanelli, Neath, Swansea, Pontypridd, Pontypool and Newport. Stripped of the traditional club names, many supporters still struggle to get fully behind their region.

That lack of backing has not been helped by the performances of the four regions -- Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets – in the URC and European competition.

None of the regions qualified for the Champions Cup this season, although the Principality Stadium is hosting the final, with all four competing instead in Europe's second-tier Challenge Cup.

Budgets have been cut to £4.5 million ($5.7 million), small fry when compared to heavyweights in the French Top 14.

Rugby Union is still considered by many as Wales's national sport but player numbers are steadily declining, a worrying development for the WRU.

- New role -

Gatland, speaking after leaving his job, went as far as blaming the teachers' strikes under Margaret Thatcher's rule in the 1980s for current domestic woes.

The WRU, he argued, had missed a chance to invest in school rugby pathways over the last 15 years, citing the success of Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.

The union has posted an advert for a director of professional rugby role, stating that the WRU is undertaking a number of "structural and strategic changes" across the professional game.

The successful applicant will not only be responsible for the men and women's XVs and sevens teams, but also the implementation of strategies to ensure sustainable success for the professional clubs.

With that, hopes are that the national side rebounds.

It is a very big ask for someone willing to take on what seems like a short-term poisoned chalice.

(W.Walker--TAG)