How do you solve a problem like Welsh rugby?

In the Six Nations tournament of 2024, the Welsh team finds themselves in dire straits following a string of defeats. They were awarded the Wooden Spoon and lost to Italy, leaving their morale at an all-time low.

Experts predicted that Wales would have a tough time during the Six Nations. Their prediction was accurate. However, no one could have foreseen the extent of the difficulties and turmoil Wales would face during the campaign.

The Welsh rugby team experienced a humiliating defeat as Italy clinched a 24-21 victory in Cardiff, resulting in Wales receiving their first Six Nations Wooden Spoon in 18 years. Head coach Warren Gatland expressed his disappointment and stated that it felt like Welsh rugby had reached its lowest point.

Wales came in last place during the Six Nations tournament after losing five matches which is a first in 21 years.

The image of George North, who is considered a modern-day legend, being taken away due to his injury during his last international performance and the sight of a young and despondent captain, Dafydd Jenkins, facing a television interview with courage, are images that will remain with us for a long time.

The Welsh rugby reset has been promoted as a situation where brief pain leads to future benefits. The initial aspect is surely fitting, but it's uncertain if the latter will ensue.

Principality Stadium Not A Secure Fortress

Gatland has asked for some time to complete his massive rebuilding work after the World Cup, but it's impossible to ignore the harsh data.

Over the course of the last 13 Six Nations matches, Wales has only emerged victorious once. The particularly alarming trend, however, is that they have lost seven of their last home matches in the Six Nations tournament, two of which were to Italy.

In the past, opposing teams were intimidated by the Cardiff arena. However, nowadays they arrive at the Principality Stadium with confidence to secure a victory, which is frequently achieved.

The field has witnessed some remarkable Welsh rugby memories, including victories in the Six Nations and achieving a Grand Slam.

In recent times, the Cardiff stadium doesn't seem to have the same magic it once had. The home team has lost 14 matches and drawn one in the last 21 international games held there. They have only managed to win against Canada, Fiji, Australia, Scotland, Argentina and England in full international matches during this period.

Although world rugby's atmosphere is still exceptional, opponents are no longer intimidated by it. The fans will continue to attend, at least for the time being.

Observing only a few supporters exit the venue during the intermission and witnessing a lackluster second period wave from the fans while Italy dominated with an 18-0 victory were some of the most disheartening scenes of a dismal season.

The atmosphere in Cardiff was completely different compared to five years ago, when Wales won the Six Nations and Grand Slam by defeating Ireland. It feels like a really long time has passed since that success in 2019.

Is Gatland's Magic Gone?

Gatland shared after the loss to Italy that he had tendered his resignation to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) Chief Executive, Abi Tierney, once the game was over. However, he mentioned that his proposal was rejected.

Gatland always emphasizes that winning is vital in international rugby. If the previous coach, Wayne Pivac, had witnessed a similarly disappointing performance as the one against Italy, he would have been heavily criticized.

Gatland has signed a contract until the 2027 World Cup, after coming back for a second term as Wales' coach in December 2022.

When Gatland agreed to take on the job of replacing Pivac following an invitation from WRU, he was aware that there was a possibility of tarnishing the legacy of his previous tenure as the head coach.

At the age of 60, the main test will be for him to demonstrate that he still possesses the drive and passion for rebuilding. Under Gatland, Wales have experienced a lot of prosperous moments within the last twenty years.

The New Zealander was in control from 2007 until 2019, in which time Wales were victorious in four Six Nations championships, three Grand Slams, and made two World Cup semi-finals.

Ever since he came back, Gatland has only managed to come out victorious in a single Six Nations match out of the total 10, which was against Italy in Rome during the preceding year.

During his second stint, Gatland achieved a total of six victories in 18 games. Out of those wins, four were attained during the World Cup in the previous year. In that tournament, Wales advanced to the quarter-finals under his guidance but were unfortunately defeated by Argentina.

His performance proved that he has the ability to enhance a team when given sufficient time to prepare.

What was concerning about the Six Nations tournament was the team's failure to progress. They started with a 27-point deficit against Scotland and ended with a dismal showing against Italy, which is one of their worst performances ever.

"End Of The Golden Generation"

A group of experienced athletes have ended their careers in the past 12 months, and as expected, this new group of players has not performed up to par during Test matches.

Gatland's team has had a significant decrease in experience due to the retirements of several key players, including Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, Josh Navidi, Leigh Halfpenny, and most recently, George North.

Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Tomas Francis, Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree, Christ Tshiunza, and Dewi Lake have not been able to participate in this campaign due to either injury or club obligations. These losses could prove to be a difficult obstacle for most coaches.

At times, Gatland has chosen to introduce younger players such as Mackenzie Martin, Alex Mann, Cameron Winnett, and Evan Lloyd into the team with an eye towards the 2027 World Cup, instead of picking more experienced players.

Gatland will probably reflect on how he performed in terms of strategy and tactics, and question whether he should have given Mason Grady and Will Rowlands more opportunities to play. These two individuals only started in one game collectively.

The team behind him will also be evaluated, as the offense strategy led by Alex King did not meet expectations during the competition. Additionally, the performance of the set-piece, which is overseen by Jonathan Humphreys, continues to be an area of concern.

Gatland and his team are going to face some tough challenges ahead. They will be playing against world champions South Africa in June and then will embark on a two-Test tour of Australia. Life won't be getting any easier for them.

Meanwhile, the Welsh rugby system is in disarray and requires repairs. The focus should shift towards the individuals who are responsible for the downfall of Welsh rugby in various areas. This abandonment has left the players and fans of Wales disheartened.

The youth rugby team has a higher rate of losses than victories. Meanwhile, regional rugby is facing difficulties with its four teams currently ranking in the lower half of the United Rugby Championship.

In the year 2024, only Ospreys, a Welsh professional team, managed to defeat a team that was not from Wales.

When Wales last got the Wooden Spoon trophy, they decided to make significant changes. They swapped out the old club system and implemented five new regional professional teams. Unfortunately, after some time, they had to lower the number to four teams due to the demise of the Celtic Warriors.

There may be a discussion about reducing the number of teams in Wales to just three, or maybe even two, in order to improve the quality of talent. However, this could cause problems with fans' identification with their teams, since they would have to support unfamiliar ones.

Ensuring that four teams are adequately financed is a major hurdle in today's economic climate.

The regulation that permits players with a minimum of 25 caps to join clubs outside of Wales while still being eligible for the national team will also be reconsidered. However, some individuals may argue that there are too many conditions attached to this policy.

Athletes have been lining up lately to express their dissatisfaction with the regulation and want it removed. However, proponents argue that it is essential in keeping young talents in Wales and also enables the national team to have ample time for preparation.

Here's some food for thought for Tierney and Richard Collier-Keywood, who have only provided vague statements about the future of Welsh rugby.

What's important is to witness some action from the duo and the rugby executive director, Nigel Walker. It's necessary to make tough choices.

In January, Tierney assumed her new position with the support of a revamped WRU board and committed to unveiling a comprehensive plan by June.

The absence of a present strategy highlights the unfortunate situation that Welsh rugby faces both on and off the field.

The current suffering of Welsh rugby will only be justified if it ultimately results in a lasting benefit.