Just one more review until Christmas
It's been an awful year for Welsh rugby - but there's still some time left to do something bold
As a dismal 2024 comes to a close, it’s tricky to find the optimism that 2025 will be much better.
Bumping into one former international this week, he had little time for my half-hearted suggestion that, as D:Ream philosophically once put, things can only get better.
“Do you really believe that?" he asked. Probably not, in all honesty.
At least though, he typed while stocking up on rabbit’s foots and four leaf clovers, things probably can’t get any worse.
The Welsh men’s national team lost all 11 Test matches in 2024 - their first winless calendar year since 1937. Even by the law of averages, they’re unlikely to be that bad again.
Right now, on the back of another three defeats in the autumn, a review is going on into why another campaign descended into a run of sobering defeats.
Right now, the Welsh Rugby Union are probably the leading experts on carrying out such reviews, if not exactly learning from them.
Next Tuesday, the Welsh Rugby Union board should be presented with the findings of the latest one.
Speaking to someone involved this week, they said it was the time to be “bold” about whatever was next. Not everyone will agree with what you’ll do, but at least they’ll respect you was the logic.
The question of “Do you really believe that?” comes up again. Welsh rugby of late hasn’t been one for bold and brave decision-making.
More death by paralysis.
Heading into 2025, there’s perhaps still time to be bold, but much of it depends on what comes of the latest review.