As the final whistle blew in Leinster’s match against Dragons, the scoreboard displaying a decisive 33-10 victory for the Irish side, the Welsh rugby community was left grappling with the harsh reality of their current situation. The defeat marked the end of a miserable few days with all four Welsh regions losing.
Although we are just four rounds into the United Rugby Championship (URC), I have a strong sense that this is not the bottom for Welsh rugby. As we see returning internationals more regularly involved among their opponents and trips to South Africa on the horizon, the situation can still go from bad to worse.
The Warren Gatland effect was in full flow during the summer as everyone focused on what was happening with the national team. The heroics and sheer defiance of the victory against Fiji in their opening Rugby World Cup match all but guaranteed them a quarter-final spot. Yet in much the same fashion as England, results in France temporarily masked deep rooted issues within the game.
With rugby in Wales still operating under huge financial constraints, the exodus of talent from the regions has been brutal and swift, with Leigh Halfpenny the latest to head for greener pastures. The clubs and the Welsh Rugby Union are now trying to stabilise the financial viability of the game. The challenge they face is stark.
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Decades of underinvestment in the academy structures and poor governance has been finally laid bare. There are lean years on the horizon and some extremely tough decisions to be made on how the game is run. In a broader sense, globally, rugby has overextended itself; the game has outgrown its resources.
Player salaries and club budgets have grown completely out of line with the revenue capabilities of each organisation. The obvious exceptions are the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and most of the clubs in France, where there is better television revenue and benefactors with deeper pockets.
The conservative nature of the IRFU, for the most part, does not allow Irish provinces to chase salaries. It runs the business of rugby largely within the economic reality of what it can support. Consistently in the professional era, the provinces and the IRFU have made Ireland a fantastic place to play rugby.
However, in Wales, it is hard to see how player welfare and morale could be anything other than rock bottom. Rugby is a tough enough job when you feel you are getting well paid. But when you are losing and sense you are being underpaid, that makes for a difficult place to live and work.
The drop of standard in Wales has been partially offset in the URC by the increased competition from South Africa. Those teams are more settled now and beginning to find the tempo of northern hemisphere rugby. Even the traditionally weaker Lions are starting to find their feet.
Last week, we saw those Irish players who had a lighter workload during the World Cup return to action with their clubs with almost immediate effect. Dan Sheehan led the way for Leinster with a captain’s performance against the Dragons, showing all the skills and flair we have come to appreciate every time he takes the field. Jack Crowley and Ross Byrne were both playing with the inner belief that they should be the next in line for the Irish outhalf jersey come the first week in February.
Interestingly though, it was two Ulster players that caught the eye with Scott Wilson making a very impactful debut, the young tighthead shoring up an Ulster scrum that played a significant role in beating Munster. Stewart Moore again showed why he is so valuable for his province, his grubber for Jacob Stockdale to chase was one of the highlights of the weekend. Every coach wants selection headaches. Dan McFarland has plenty, especially in the outside backs, and crafting these youngsters into real threats will be one of his top priorities.
Connacht are the first Irish team to travel south and, aside from Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki, embark with a full squad. A hamstring injury for Aki will allow Cathal Forde more time at inside centre where he is looking ever more comfortable.
An interesting piece of insight coming from rugby analyst Sam Larner is how much of an impact Forde is having in matches for Connacht. He is leading their scoring system, traditionally dominated by forwards, where tackles made, carries and ruck entries are calculated. Forde’s work rate in these three energy-intense areas of the game are superb to watch.
He epitomises the idea that the number on your back does not matter when the ball is in play. You cannot coach a player to have that type of mental resolve. They are often just wired that way, making hard graft look effortless.
Connacht will be eager to take their domestic form on the road, and the Sharks and the Bulls back-to-back will give them the opportunity to improve on their only win in South Africa, back in 2022 against the Lions.
Connacht are also a team that could empathise with their Welsh counterparts. It was not that long ago players were prepping to strike had the IRFU proceeded with shutting down the province in 2003. Huge challenges face Welsh rugby. Although they are far from their nadir, there should be a glimmer of hope if they look across the water to Connacht, a shinning example of what is possible both on and off the field.
