Scotland losing to Italy, there really isn't much left apart from England and France to carry some kind of torch - Ireland remains a dark horse but they're not looking convincing. Not sure how Wales will claw their way out of this hole.
Scotland losing to Italy, there really isn't much left apart from England and France to carry some kind of torch - Ireland remains a dark horse but they're not looking convincing. Not sure how Wales will claw their way out of this hole.
Honestly they couldn’t beat the Stormers these days
Italy at least is improving, if not there yet
Keep on missing the rugga...glad you guys sort of enjoyed it.
Frustrating game to watched, ruined by double yellows cards that knocked the stuffing out of them. They just don’t have the cattle. Don’t seem to be able to get proper forwards or some mongrel in the pack. Backs looks school boys and Reece Zammit likes like the invisible man after his nfl hype switch.
They will need a Jake type character to come in and sort out their local rugby, starting with the juniors and hoping to get some momentum. Really sad day for rugby indeed.
I've always wondered what would happen if the USA got brought into the top tier. They're obviously not good enough at present. But I have a feeling they'll pour money into their rugby, promote it and not take too long to compete.
There is just no incentive while they're down there with the minnows.
Wales haven't been a top tier rugby nation for a number of years, They just don't have the player base to compete. Professional era was always going hurt them in the end. That said the people running Welsh Rugby seem utterly useless get rid of them and the situation might improve.
It's sad to see because it's both a loss of traditional major rugby nation and its damaging to rugby as a whole when there is only really a few nations that play rugby serious and competitively.
That's why the decline in Australian rugby is also a bad thing for rugby in general.
Yes its nice to see Italy make progress and it would be great if they could move up another gear but I'm not sure they can in the short to mid term.
Ireland are next ;)
It's fine, we could replace them with Georgia
Mwhahaha!!!
Tell you what, if you think the 6N is a snooze fest, wait for the expanded 2027 World Cup. There will be about one pool game a week worth watching - the one featuring your team.
Unfortunately it is the countries where the money is. Ireland don't have enough money or the player base. They did phenomenally well with what they have and how they managing players but Pendercast is not their next Sexton. You don't see academy players falling out of the tree.
NZ young players are dwindling and so is Wales. It is only in SA, Eng. France that they are still producing a lot of youngsters.
As for America, they don't play at school level and it is very rare for them to get exposure. The only time they do is when they hit university level.
Doesn't look like these nations can get the grass roots going
Ireland don't have enough money or the player base.
It's not a matter of money for Ireland, player base is isn't that bad for the small size of the country but the smaller population is always going handicap us against the countries with bigger populations and there will be periods were we just don't have enough talent but they will come and go.
So what if Wales are a minnow rugby nation, I don't remember a dominant Wales with a RWC or two in the trophy cabinet. It's struggle street if you lack a talent pool.
A puff of air has more gravitas.
Gareth Rees writes that money and size are now all important; John Marriott calls for the sport to be brought back into state schools, plus a letter from Steffan Parry
Mon 9 Feb 2026 16.54 GMT
Re your editorial (The Guardian view on Welsh rugby: enduring an existential crisis with cultural roots, 4 February), what’s surprising is that it’s taken this long. In the amateur era, Wales, with a much smaller population than that of England, had more wins than losses against most of the home nations. Welsh clubs were among the very best in the world and Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Llanelli all beat the All Blacks.
The game and its culture had great resonance in southern Wales, where relatively slightly built men, fleet of foot and with flair (many from south-west Wales and Welsh speakers) ran with the ball won by forwards often hardened by work in heavy industry. Schoolmasters were dedicated to encouraging talent and participation in team games. Money and player size (except in the front five) were relatively unimportant and success bred success. For much of that era, spectator community spirit was characterised by the fervent singing of Welsh hymns such as Sosban Fach.
All that has changed. Rugby is now a game where money and size are all important. It has a totally different and commercial culture. Wales, a relatively poor country, has changed greatly too, culturally and industrially, and with its small population cannot hope to find enough huge men with sufficient talent, especially when at any given time so many are off injured. Unsurprisingly, empty seats at internationals show that interest in rugby in Wales has declined substantially. It was lovely while it lasted.
Gareth Rees
Bristol
I am pleased to see that your editorial on the decline of Welsh rugby emphasised the need to bring the sport back into schools. A noble sentiment. The same could be said of rugby and cricket in English state schools as well.
In 1962, when I played for the English schools’ under-19 group XV against the Welsh and French schools, our team was composed almost entirely of state school students. The independent schools back then even had their own representative side that played matches against Scotland and Ireland. Today, most members of our representative age group sides come from the latter sector, where time and facilities are available for coaching. Otherwise, as has nearly always been the case in France, for example, it has been up to their clubs to nurture talent.
Given concerns about the long-term effect of head collisions and our very litigious world, good luck to those who would like to see more rugby in Welsh state schools’ already overcrowded curriculums. Perhaps those “hymns and arias” might be firmly part of history.
John Marriott
North Hykeham, Lincolnshire
It may be a while since Wales’ men won a rugby match of note (Analysis, 7 February), but it’s even longer since we had the misfortune of being a principality – the 16th century, in fact. Diolch yn fawr!
Steffan Parry
Borth y Gest, Gwynedd
Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Explore more on these topics
48,758 posts
It sure looks like it. I post this under the topic of Schools Rugby because that’s what it looked like. The Six Nations promises many of these nothing games.