After the 2019 Rugby World Cup, it’s fair to say that Welsh rugby was enjoying something of a high. Although Wales lost narrowly to South Africa in the semi-finals, it had been a fine tournament for Warren Gatland’s side, establishing themselves as a side to be feared across the world.
They had gone into that tournament having enjoyed a superb Six Nations, in which they won the Grand Slam and performed brilliantly throughout to create a winning mentality which made them unstoppable in the end. That form carried over into the World Cup, and as the 2020 Six Nations loomed, many were tipping Wales to be right up there as usual, given their supremacy in prior showings.
But the wheels came grinding to a halt in the spring, as Wales’ Six Nations campaign crashed onto the rocks under new head coach Wayne Pivac. It started off just fine, as Wales put Italy to the sword with a 42-0 triumph in the opening fixture of the tournament. But that was to be the only victory Wales recorded throughout the competitions, with defeats to Ireland, France, England and Scotland soon following. For Wales, the fact that the tournament ended up being dragged out until October simply heaped on the misery, and defeat to Scotland in the final game seemed almost inevitable.
Their fortunes didn’t improve much in the Autumn Nations Cup, where a disappointing 32-9 defeat to Ireland and a 23-14 loss against England meant they were forced to settle for 5th place in the competition overall, with only Italy, Fiji and Georgia finishing below them. That disappointment made plain that the team is still in a transition period under Pivac.
Now, the Six Nations is looming large on the horizon once again, and Wales have a chance to exact revenge on Ireland for the Nations Cup game, as they take them on in Cardiff in the opening round of fixtures. Ireland themselves have undergone something of a transition under new coach Andy Farrell, but so far Farrell has settled into his new role than Pivac has.
There can be no doubt that Pivac will eventually find the formula that makes Wales successful once again, the question is whether or not they can do enough to challenge in this year’s Six Nations. The latest Six Nations odds see them listed as fourth-favourites to win the tournament behind England, France and Ireland, so that represents the scale of the task facing Pivac and his team if they are to regain their title.
So often momentum plays a key role when it comes to the Six Nations, and if Wales can get the better of Ireland on home soil to kick things off, then perhaps they can summon the same spirit that saw them claim the Grand Slam just two years ago. It’s clear that the players have the talent, and the competitive nature of the Six Nations means that often the final positions aren’t entirely reflective of the quality of each side. It would be no surprise to see Wales hit the right notes come the start of the tournament, and if they can get a few wins under their belt then there’s no reason why another title would be beyond their capabilities.