The musical artist Yazz famously declared that upward is the sole direction. The Welsh rugby squad is poised to discover the validity of this assertion. Following their regrettable 48-7 defeat at Twickenham on Saturday, Steve Tandy’s team prepares to welcome a French contingent that appeared dominant during their match against Ireland.
Regarding the Thursday night contest in Paris, Fabien Galthie’s squad seemed intent on overwhelming their opponents, rapidly establishing a 29-0 advantage. Their formidable forwards bulldozed through defenses, while their versatile backs showcased both brute strength and agility. This was electrifying rugby, characteristic of the unique French playing style.
Ireland deserves recognition for their late resurgence, yet the decisive blow had already been struck.
It is now Wales’ opportunity to confront what many consider the frontrunners for this year’s Six Nations title.
One might ponder Steve Tandy’s perspective on these developments.
While athletic contests typically present continuous opportunities for atonement, Wales has successively faced New Zealand, South Africa, and England, and now France awaits, seemingly relishing the prospect, poised and ready. It’s hardly surprising that Dan Biggar, in his preview for Radio Times, expressed his dismay that “the fixtures have fallen as they have.” It genuinely appears as though fate, or the rugby deities, intends to prolong Wales’ suffering.
The pressing inquiry is whether Tandy and his coaching staff possess the ability to restore the team to a dignified competitive standing.
Observing Wales face Scotland at Murrayfield in 1997 from a public house, this author recalls his frustration at being ensnared in a lengthy bar line during a crucial six-minute period where the visiting side tallied three tries. A news reporter subsequently characterized this rapid scoring spree as “arguably the most significant six minutes for Wales in that decade”—a segment of play I inadvertently missed while attempting to procure multiple beverages and snacks.
Nonetheless, historical records reveal that Wales’ substantial victory in Edinburgh on that particular day proved to be a fleeting moment of hope, typical of that era.
Currently, however, Wales appears to encounter no such promising beginnings, whether illusory or genuine.
To what extent did the initial half against England last weekend fall short? It was quite poor, though – fortunately – it did not represent the national team’s absolute weakest 40-minute performance, contrary to some assertions.
The unenviable record for that category is held by the second half played against South Africa in Pretoria in 1998. With 18 players having opted out of the tour, Wales entered that match with a probability of winning comparable to Inspector Clouseau’s success in apprehending the Zodiac killer. Despite this, conceding the last 40 minutes by a score of 65-7 was a woefully inadequate display.
Similarly, falling behind 29-0 prior to halftime at Twickenham was inexcusably poor. Tandy took over a difficult situation, and yet, five matches into the ex-flanker’s tenure, Wales finds itself stuck in a realm of dismal performance, vastly removed from their coach’s desired level.
His most pressing task is to devise the necessary solutions to render Wales competitive for their upcoming match against France. Judging by last weekend’s outcome, achieving success in this specific endeavor might warrant his inclusion in the ‘Department of Minor Miracles’ for consideration.
However, the outcome of Sunday’s fixture in Cardiff remains to be seen.
Presented below are critical aspects where Wales must demonstrate rapid betterment.
Swiftly Improve Composure
France only gave away four infractions during their game against Ireland, whereas Wales provoked the referee’s disapproval four separate times within the initial seven minutes versus England, ultimately surrendering 16 penalties in total, with nine occurring within the first fifteen minutes.
The Welsh performance also included four temporary expulsions, notably one for Taine Plumtree, who has now received a yellow card in each of his last three international appearances and six times overall this season for both club and national team, positioning him as Europe’s most penalized player in this regard. To be clear, this statistic is far from beneficial.
Saturday’s display was not an isolated incident for Wales, as their past five fixtures have seen them accumulate 10 yellow cards and one red. While labeling Tandy’s squad as ‘the Wild Bunch’ might be an exaggeration, they absolutely must grasp the criticality of adhering to regulations. This adherence could distinguish between being a contender and suffering a severe defeat.
At the four-minute mark of the Twickenham contest, Wales held a promising offensive stance. However, Dafydd Jenkins was penalized for an unlawful block during a lineout, and Archie Griffin received a penalty for running an escort line after a box-kick. Instantly, Wales found themselves defending their own goal line rather than pressing England’s. A subsequent penalty led to England capitalizing with the inaugural try. If Tandy restrained himself from slamming the table in exasperation, he certainly had ample justification for doing so.
Similar occurrences continued.
Generally speaking, Wales’ adherence to rules was considerably below acceptable standards.
Fortify a Permeable Backline
During Warren Gatland’s initial period as the Welsh head coach, Wales faced the Barbarians, with a tactical focus on neutralizing opposing captain Sergio Parisse. Shaun Edwards, then Wales’ defence coach, instructed: “Apply intense pressure on him.”
Josh Turnbull inquired: “Should we establish a specific signal for that action?”
In his publication, Open Side, Sam Warburton recounts: “Shaun glared at him as if he were deranged. ‘Go out there and thoroughly smash him. That’s the instruction’.”
Is that directive entirely unambiguous for you, Josh?
Defending, without a doubt, fundamentally derives from one’s mental approach.
John Barclay echoed this sentiment on the BBC recently, advocating that Tandy prioritize readily rectifiable issues. “Initially: tackling,” Barclay stated. “Defensive play is considerably simpler than offensive play—it’s primarily a matter of attitude. As Wales’ defence coach, one would observe the insufficient commitment in tackles. This isn’t about technical ability; it’s about mental resolve. How do we position ourselves ahead of opponents? How do we impede their progress? Let’s rectify our defensive game, become a challenging side to face, and avoid gifting straightforward victories.”
Edwards executed a swift overhaul in 2008, inheriting a previously vulnerable defensive unit. In the subsequent Six Nations tournament, Wales conceded merely two tries and missed only 25 tackles across five matches, with their defensive flaws rapidly rectified. Even injured players managed to recover sufficiently during games to reintegrate into the defensive formation. The transformation in team ethos was truly remarkable.
Tandy must facilitate a comparable alteration in outlook. He himself commands significant respect for his defensive acumen and benefits from the readily available, experienced assistance of Dan Lydiate.
However, a minimum of four of England’s tries resulted from their exploitation of dubious Welsh defensive efforts.
Wales’ performance in executing tackles unequivocally requires substantial enhancement.
Uncover the Absent Offensive Strategy
This particular aspect garnered little focus in the aftermath of the match, largely due to Wales’ deficiencies in other areas. Nevertheless, it’s pertinent to observe that the flashes of fluid attacking play demonstrated against Argentina and New Zealand during the autumn were completely absent at Twickenham.
A particular nadir occurred when Ben Thomas’ intended backward pass to Louis Rees-Zammit missed the full-back entirely, enabling Henry Arundell to sprint unopposed for a try. Thomas, a capable player, cannot be faulted for attempting an unconventional move, yet his delivery was suboptimal on that occasion.
The Welsh forwards consistently lagged, losing individual contests and struggling to maintain possession of their own ball. No side can mount an effective attack from such an unstable foundation. When possession was eventually recovered, Wales conspicuously lacked a powerful runner in the fly-half position to breach the defensive line.
On occasion, Rees-Zammit appeared to be their sole offensive asset.
Eliminate Lineout Mistakes
The struggles of the Welsh lineout are far from a recent development. Discussions concerning these issues likely date back to the era of high-wheel bicycles, formal headwear, early postage stamps, and gas streetlights.
However, their performance against England was substandard by any measure, as Wales secured only 76 percent of their own throws—a figure entirely insufficient for international rugby.
Several throws were expertly intercepted by exceptional English opportunism—Alex Coles outsmarted Dafydd Jenkins for one, and the towering 6ft 7in Ollie Chessum successfully reached above the 6ft 3in Alex Mann—while at least one additional throw ought to have been secured by a Welsh player.
As the designated thrower, Dewi Lake bears some responsibility, yet the lineout is a complex interplay of various elements. It’s also worth recalling that not long ago, some disparagingly referred to Ryan Elias as the antithesis of William Tell regarding his throwing accuracy.
The collective body representing hookers would, without question, observe that the unfortunate number two player frequently faces criticism when the set-piece malfunctions.
Nonetheless, Lake possesses room for advancement.
Eventually, the 6ft 5in Dragons flanker Ryan Woodman, known for his proficiency in pilfering opposition ball in the URC, might emerge to provide an additional lineout choice. Alternatively, Taine Plumtree, provided he fully embraces the concept of discipline, could offer the Welsh thrower an extra target.
However, progress will not materialize spontaneously. Wales must actively cultivate it.
Execute Accurate Player Selection
This topic is contentious; it invariably proves to be. While navigating the online comments section of a rugby article on Tuesday, this author felt compelled to abandon the task, feeling quite overwhelmed by both the intensity of the viewpoints expressed and the sheer volume of player names proposed for selection.
We can at minimum assert that this indicates continued engagement from some.
Furthermore, we can confidently state that few players emerged from the Twickenham disaster with their standing improved.
Aaron Wainwright, playing at number 8, significantly outshone the other starting players. Louis Rees-Zammit’s contributions were largely positive, though a return to his previous wing position might be more effective. Harri Deaves injected considerable vigor, and Rhys Carre demonstrated strong carrying ability.
Beyond these instances, there was little else to generate enthusiasm.
Wales might have benefited from incorporating Angus O’Brien, a full-back possessing keen insight and a powerful kicking ability, into their roster. They also face the necessity of resolving their midfield defensive issues. Owen Watkin has been suggested as a possibility; although he hasn’t delivered extraordinarily flashy performances, the experienced 43-cap Osprey is dependable, and currently, Wales prioritizes reliability over flair. The immediate objective ought to be increasing their resilience against defeat.
Eddie James’s closest family members would likely have found it challenging to locate him on the field in London, given his minimal involvement with the ball at outside centre. Many believe he could contribute more effectively at inside centre, possibly partnered with Watkin, allowing Mason Grady to potentially shift to a starting wing role.
Additionally, Wales requires increased substance within their back five forward positions. One could contend they overlooked potential by excluding players such as Ross Moriarty and Jake Ball from their initial selection. Morgan Morse has similarly lost favor, yet he remains an dynamic young athlete capable of significant impact. It would nonetheless be astonishing if he were not part of the next Rugby World Cup squad.
Naturally, all these points are open to interpretation.
However, an incorrect team selection deprives a coach of any opportunity for success.
Tandy is obligated to make accurate selection choices for the match against France.
New Prospects Are Emerging, Provided Proper Development
Despite the devastation of last weekend, there was a glimmer of hope for Welsh rugby.
The Wales U20 team delivered one of their most impressive performances recently, pushing England very hard at Franklin’s Gardens. Notable talents included the highly regarded hooker Tom Howe, who, despite being only 18, displayed remarkable maturity and influence, and back-rower Deian Gwynne, who stood out with 19 carries. In the backline, fly-half Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, also 18, was tackled with the ball a few times and requires further development in his decision-making; however, his potential was particularly evident in the first half, contributing to Wales’ significant 16-0 advantage.
Thus, a small spark of optimism for the future exists, yet the senior team faces a substantial challenge this weekend (compounded by ongoing off-field turmoil, which it should be noted, is not aiding anyone involved in Welsh rugby).
Regardless, it remains an early stage for the head coach. However, he will undoubtedly understand that positive responses in training and favorable comments about the team’s atmosphere are insufficient. The true measure of success lies in whether on-field performances demonstrably improve.
This improvement must occur at some juncture within the upcoming month.
