A recent Radio 2 breakfast show item saw listeners invited to text in details of what they were doing while listening, prompting responses from far and wide, from folks on land and water, and even from an individual about to take to the air as he contemplated his first day as cabin crew.
It made for a rich tapestry.
It was only a mild surprise, though, that a chap with a New Zealand accent didn’t get in touch to say: “Warren Gatland here, facing a defining few weeks with Wales in the Six Nations.”
Perhaps being more precise, some might suggest the defining day for all concerned in the Welsh camp comes on Saturday, when Gatland and his team take on Italy in Rome. It promises to be a day of days, potentially laden with consequences, not all of them happy if the result goes the wrong way for the visitors.
A record of 10 wins from 12 away Six Nations matches against Italy should give the Welsh class of 2025 grounds for quiet encouragement. There again, on the evidence of last weekend, there might be concern as well: deep concern. Indeed, it is not unimaginable that pessimists from Prestatyn to Penarth will be tempted to spend the afternoon beneath their duvets.
Certainly, a 43-0 defeat by France added up to a deflating start to this year’s championship for Gatland’s side, the rugby equivalent of the ship careering into the rocks before it has properly left port. Gloom and despair abounded throughout the WhatsApp group of which this writer is a member. No one creatively pilfered from Blackadder and offered the idea that it was the most disheartening opening to a campaign since Olaf the Hairy, High Chief of all the Vikings, accidentally ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside, but, still, the tone was not upbeat.
Wales are discovering what so many have found before them, that a side trapped in a whirlpool of losses can find it hugely difficult to fight their way out.
Italy, meantime, had their moments against Gregor Townsend’s highly fancied Scotland at Murrayfield, with the teams level after an hour before the hosts pulled clear to take the spoils at 31-19. The Azzurri conceded five tries, but bookmakers make them odds-on to prevail in the second batch of matches and in the process hand Gatland’s team a 14th consecutive defeat. Woe, woe and woe another dozen times, perhaps.
Wales are discovering what so many have found before them, that a side trapped in a whirlpool of losses can find it hugely difficult to fight their way out. Effort wasn’t a problem for them at Stade de France, but the truth is at Test level, effort should be a minimum requirement. A bit like the ability to read a number plate from 20 metres during a driving test, it should be a given.
Even so, some of the Welsh forward play offered modest grounds for hope: the scrum and lineout held up well, while the captain Jac Morgan yet again stood tall as a carrier and tackler, with Daf Jenkins, as hard-working as the horse Boxer in Orwell’s Animal Farm, also putting in a serious defensive shift. There were industrious efforts, too, from Gareth Thomas and his replacement Nicky Smith.
But Wales didn’t have enough players capable of winning collisions, a situation that wasn’t helped by the early injury to Aaron Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau again being confined to the treatment room. Gatland’s team could have done with both, for they have a power deficit when compared to most of their rivals, a situation that spells trouble in an impact sport.
Dupont seems to operate to the idea that a game without a genius idea is a game wasted. Last Friday, Gatland’s team couldn’t handle him.
Nor did they help themselves at times. Antoine Dupont is a player apart, but the visitors allowed him too much space to set up France’s first try. Give him a millisecond and the threat level is heightened. Give him four or five seconds, as Wales did in the early stages at Stade de France, and a score will result, as it did when the little scrum-half manufactured the cross-kick that put Théo Attissogbé over.
It’s what he does. He did it against Leicester in the Champions Cup recently and he memorably did it against Cardiff in a European campaign three seasons ago. He seems to operate to the idea that a game without a genius idea is a game wasted. Last Friday, Gatland’s team couldn’t handle him.
The question for the coach and his players is how they can stop losing. Welsh teams have fought their way out of difficult times before, notably in the early 1990s, a famously bleak time for the national side, when a World Cup pool exit, a winless Five Nations and a record hiding at the hands of Australia piled up to leave confidence at rock bottom.
“It wasn’t easy,” recalls the Wales, Swansea and Lions full-back Tony Clement. “But I seem to remember our coach Alan Davies made a few personnel changes which helped take us forward. He brought in Stuart Davies, my clubmate at Swansea, and as a team we were encouraged to play with variation, to keep our opponents guessing. I remember we went to Ireland and got a win with Stuart outstanding. There were still a few bumps in the road after that, but we were all the better for getting the victory.
“A good result can change the mood in a squad. I don’t think anyone thought Wales were going to beat France in Paris last week. Had we gone there on a run of 12 wins in a row rather than 12 defeats, I still think we would have come unstuck, because the French have extra energy and purpose at home and are very difficult to beat.
When you are out in South Africa, you’re 96 points down and the crowd are baying for blood, you know what hard times are. But maybe adversity makes you stronger, as the saying goes.
“Italy will be a test, too, as they are much improved and capable of playing lovely rugby. I just hope Wales can go there, play in the right areas and also channel some unpredictability into their game. It isn’t easy nowadays because for much of the time sides can have up to 13 people on their feet defending at the same time. You can counter that with a bit more penetration and perhaps the odd flash of unorthodoxy: do something the opposition don’t expect. Shane Williams used to do that for Wales, sometimes popping up at first receiver. Wales don’t have a player like him anymore, but I still think they could mix it up more.”
The former hooker Barry Williams also played in sides that hit recessionary times. He was on the scene when the national team lost 96-13 in South Africa and part of an Ospreys side that lost 10 games in a row in the first season of regional rugby. “I can confirm I have been there during dark times with Wales,” he laughed. “When you are out in South Africa, you’re 96 points down and the crowd are baying for blood, you know what hard times are. But maybe adversity makes you stronger, as the saying goes.
“With the Ospreys, we were a bit like Wales now, not knowing where the next win was coming from. But the players stood up to be counted and our coaches Lyn Jones and Sean Holley were outstanding. They were hurting but stayed positive and we managed to break the losing run.
“Wales losing by 43 points is bad news, however you slice it, but I thought there were a few things to cling onto. The scrum held up and so did the lineout. Italy will be difficult, but it’s only the players and coaches who can get Wales out of the hole they are in.”
It needs to be stressed that the referee didn’t exactly shower Wales with favours in Paris, with France benefiting from a number of marginal calls. How much blame could be pinned on him for the scale of the defeat? Some thought a lot.
But, really, the difference between the teams was such it wouldn’t have mattered if the official had hailed from Aberflyflanker, never went further than Trecco Bay for his holidays, had a dog called Glyndwr and considered Twin Town his all-time favourite film.
Just as all good things must come to an end, maybe the same can be said about bad things.
Let’s consider some numbers: since January 2023, Wales have used 14 different half-back combinations, with Tomos Williams playing alongside six different fly-halves, while there have been 10 fresh midfield partnerships in Tests in that period. Meantime in both areas, the quest for stability goes on.
Maybe in his more reflective moments, the head coach will look to the heavens.
A stunning planetary parade occurred recently that will not be seen again for another 400 years. Will Wales have ended their losing run by then? On the evidence at times over the last few months, we can’t be absolutely sure.
There again, just as all good things must come to an end, maybe the same can be said about bad things.
Assuredly, Gatland will hope so.
Good Welsh Banter!!!