Winless And Woeful - Wales' Wooden Spoon Campaign

Controversial TikTok dances, record-breaking crowds, postulation chaos and fixture disruption surrounding Pope Francis' ceremonial – Wales' Six Nations run was very eventful disconnected nan pitch.

On it, good that was a different communicative arsenic Wales erstwhile again ended their run successful floods of tears and disappointment.

Sunday's nonaccomplishment to Italy saw them decorativeness bottommost of nan array pinch nan woody spoon for nan 2nd twelvemonth running.

It was besides nan first clip successful nan title that Wales suffered 5 consecutive defeats - not nan benignant of records they want to beryllium breaking successful their 3rd twelvemonth of professionalism.

Wales had gone into nan tourney pinch renewed optimism, nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had a new caput of women's rugby successful Belinda Moore, location was nary bitter statement conflict hanging complete anyone's heads and players had been giving standout performances successful nan Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR).

Most importantly nan Union had landed three-time PWR victor Sean Lynn arsenic their caller caput coach, they moreover had their first ever defence coach pinch nan impermanent assignment of Dan Murphy.

It seemed everything was successful spot for Wales to succeed, they were fresh to relive nan highs of 2023 and cement their position arsenic nan 'best of nan rest'.

But what followed were dismal performances, immoderate of which Lynn himself described arsenic "unacceptable".

Wales simply didn't show up, location were plentifulness of workhorses, but nary weapons.

And anyone who thought family-oriented Lynn was a soft touch would beryllium proven incorrect arsenic he fired a informing changeable complete selection.

He will beryllium taking a look astatine pathway players earlier nan summertime circuit of Australia and this summer's Rugby World Cup successful England.

"We will beryllium looking to change, we will beryllium moving difficult successful that pre-season," Lynn said.

"The activity complaint from everyone, really overmuch extras we're doing because astatine nan infinitesimal we're not skilful capable astatine world level."

Wales opened their tourney steadily enough, location were capable greenish shoots of committedness not to beryllium excessively disappointed successful nan 24-21 nonaccomplishment against Scotland, particularly erstwhile considering Lynn only had 3 training sessions earlier players took to nan transportation successful Edinburgh.

The encouraging signs were nan backline getting connected nan ball, thing we seldom saw nether Ioan Cunningham's reign erstwhile Wales were each astir nan powerfulness of nan forwards.

But Wales' defence looked mediocre pinch 35 missed tackles.

It wasn't Georgia Evans finest infinitesimal either aft receiving 2 yellowish cards, but she would redeem herself arsenic nan tourney progressed, proving a powerhouse astatine number 8 and ending arsenic 1 of nan apical tacklers and carriers.

Grand Slam champions England followed arsenic nan Red Roses helped to tie a grounds crowd of complete 21,186 astatine Principality Stadium.

Wales took an early lead and for 10 minutes we wondered if Wales could people nan 10-year day of their past triumph complete England pinch a repeat.

However, England proved measurement excessively beardown arsenic they ran successful 11 tries successful a 67-12 victory, with Wales narrowly spared a grounds loss.

Missed tackles were again a awesome concern, pinch different 30 to adhd to nan tally.

Despite nan scoreline, astir Welsh players celebrated nan occasion, including Jasmine Joyce-Butchers who came successful for immoderate societal media instrumentality erstwhile she joined England's Sarah Bern successful a unrecorded post-match Tik Tok dance.

Some questioned her professionalism aft specified a humbling conclusion while others said nan women's crippled punches different and it's important to person personalities.

The tourney past had a fallow week, pinch Lynn talented nan luxury of clip to hole for different elephantine of nan crippled successful France.

But clip became nan force erstwhile it came to travelling retired for nan crippled successful Brive.

Despite a lunchtime Saturday kick-off, nan squad didn't alert retired until Friday. They near Bristol airdrome successful nan greeting earlier taking a coach from Bordeaux to Brive, but a roadworthy mishap and unreserved hr postulation meant they did not scope their edifice until precocious astatine night.

The hold saw Wales miss their stadium squad run-through, pinch nan players having 13 hours of recreation successful their legs.

It didn't show successful nan first half capacity arsenic Wales were heroic successful defence and bagged a mates of tries for their efforts, but French scores either broadside of nan half-time whistle proved decisive.

Still, Wales didn't time off France excessively disappointed, pinch nan 42-12 scoreline not needfully a reflection of their display.

While England and France were almost free passes, Ireland was a crippled that Wales were targeting.

It was an outing astatine Rodney Parade, which skipper Hannah Jones reflected "wasn't really home" and would for illustration Cardiff Arms Park to beryllium their imperishable base.

Despite taking an early lead done Carys Cox – 1 of a fewer agleam sparks successful this run – Wales were outclassed successful each area of nan pitch.

A usually reliable set-piece crumbled arsenic they conceded 18 penalties and fell disconnected different 28 tackles.

It prompted immoderate reliable emotion from Lynn successful nan reappraisal arsenic he called connected players to return a look astatine themselves heading into Sunday's finale.

Wales had an other time to hole for Italy owed to Pope Francis' ceremonial being held connected nan Saturday, but it made small difference.

After a tight first half, it was alarming to spot really easy they fell distant arsenic nan Italians ran riot successful a grounds 44-12 triumph complete Wales.

The 2023 celebrations successful Parma look a long-distance memory, while Lynn looked crestfallen aft his first run successful Test rugby.

The post-match disapproval didn't extremity pinch Lynn, erstwhile players besides didn't clasp back.

Former number 8 Sioned Harries said it was "extremely disappointing".

"I'm disappointment watching them, I can't ideate really disappointment they (the players) are feeling," she said.

"I deliberation individuals must look astatine themselves. Sean Lynn will person to person difficult and honorable conversations.

"I inquire nan question, are immoderate of nan players bully capable to beryllium professional? These discussions must happen.”

Meanwhile erstwhile fly-half Elinor Snowsill said fans must show patience.

"Sean Lynn doesn't person a magic wand, he couldn't move things astir successful 1 campaign," she said.

"This has fixed him nan ammunition to make changes, but this is simply a semipermanent improvement plan.

"We conscionable do not person capable depth, location is not capable title for places.

"The 2nd half was really reliable to watch. It's a stark opposition to wherever Wales were 2 years ago."

And erstwhile skipper Siwan Lillicrap said nan Italy nonaccomplishment was a "dark time for Welsh rugby".

"Five consecutive losses successful this Six Nations campaign. It's not nan spot this squad wants to be," she said.

"There are immoderate reliable days up and a batch of activity to do up of nan World Cup."

Wales' players and unit will person immoderate clip disconnected earlier reporting backmost for pre-season successful nan first week of June.

They will past caput down nether to return connected Australia successful Brisbane connected 26 July and again successful Sydney a week later arsenic portion of their World Cup preparations.

Their tourney opener is erstwhile again against Scotland, connected 23 August, truthful Wales person little than 4 months to transportation themselves from a woody spoon broadside to World Cup hopefuls.

It's a reliable ask, but Lynn is simply a man who doesn't for illustration losing.

"I coached nan assemblage men (at Gloucester-Hartpury) and it was nan 3rd play wherever we went 7 losses connected nan bounce, but we turned it astir and came backmost and won nan championship," he said.

"I person been location and successful these adverse moments it's each astir everyone pulling together.

"It hurts, it's hurts maine massively, it hurts nan players and nan staff, but together we will put this right."