The inquest begins into Wales’ woeful World Cup

Wales’ World Rugby Cup campaign was judged by Belinda Moore as “you can’t really say they have failed.”

However, looking at the results and performances, it’s doubtful that many people would concur with the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) head of women’s rugby when they were speaking before the Fij defeat.

Previous defeats by Scotland and Canada left them winless and bottom of Pool B.

Wales had a reasonable goal in mind when they started the campaign to replicate their previous World Cup and earn a spot in the quarter-finals, but they were alarmingly slow.

Instead of putting an end to any hopes that the women’s side would give Welsh rugby some much-needed rest from the current situation, it was more doom and gloom.

Wales’ only winless 2025 Six Nations campaign had been overcome, but Lynn, who had only arrived one week prior, was almost guaranteed a free pass.

It was a chance to try out some combinations and blood new players, with the World Cup being his main focus.

Lynn claimed that his team lacked the mentality and physicality to play his brand of rugby, which won him three straight Premiership Women’s Rugby titles with Gloucester-Hartpury, at the conclusion of the Six Nations weekend.

While Ben Flower bolstered the backroom staff with his expertise to work on one of Wales’ biggest weaknesses, the collision area, players had a punishing pre-season.

Wales headed on their summer tour of Australia and all the hard graft appeared to pay off in the first Test, with Wales claiming a famous win over the Wallaroos in one of their best performances in recent years.

Wales and Scotland knew their tournament would be defined by their first round encounter, known as the World Cup final.

With Canada expected to top Pool B, it left only one other quarter-final qualification spot which Wales, Scotland and Fiji all had to battle for.

Wales had been the center of all the pre-game hype, and while everyone was anticipating a close game, they were largely on the safe side. However, the confidence in their camp spread like wildfire in the media.

Head coach Bryan Easson announced he would leave after the tournament, which had hindered Scotland’s preparations due to uncertainty surrounding the player’s contract.

Despite the disruption, the Scots went about their business quietly, knowing they had been building nicely. In a record six-try victory over Celtic, Scotland absolutely blew away their Celtic rivals.

Wales’ defeat was the most enthralling aspect, which was that they were completely without any opposition. Was it the occasion? The pressure, perhaps? The players only are aware of this.

Lynn looked as baffled as anyone and certainly did not hold back in his post-match assessment, saying Wales were “bullied off the park”.

Wales had to face the unenviable task of defeating the world’s second-best team, knowing they needed to win against Canada to keep their World Cup dream alive, with their bodies and egos strewn and battered.

Heads rolled as Lynn supported his adage, “If you don’t perform, you’re out. ” When making some bold choices, heads rolled.

Youngsters like Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Bryonie King and debutant Branwen Metcalfe were thrown straight into the deep end, while experienced players watched on from the bench.

After a promising 20 minutes, there was some hope that a surprise might arise from the fact that Wales had little chance to face a team that wanted to challenge tournament favorites England for the title.

However, the campaign of Wales was a story of how they failed to turn pressure into points, while Canada produced a six-try masterclass.

Wales ‘ physicality was improved, with Lynn proud of the fight, but the attack lacked imagination, the usually trusted set-piece wobbled, with the nil scoreline the most telling factor.

Wales and Fiji was supposed to be a dead rubber between two sides with nothing to play for but pride, but the nine-try spectacle at Sandy Park was anything but.

The two teams had no other significant investment or experience, with Fiji only playing 45 Tests, while many of the professional ranks in Wales had already accomplished that feat on their own.

However, when Fiji saw their attacking prowess, defensive resolve, and heart, they were far from a developing country and declared themselves as a contender for the world stage.

Wales were improved in areas, Kayleigh Powell and Carys Cox providing some much needed spark in attack, but it was the same old story of failing to get over the line.

In the final ten minutes, they camped in Fiji’s half, but they failed to score the winning try despite their brave defense.

Few people were celebrating more than Ioan Cunningham when he returned from his former side and had played down his return.

Three games and three defeats later, Wales won the World Cup. So that concludes the story.

After an appalling start, there were improvements as the weeks progressed, but Wales were still desperately left wanting and are now staring down the barrel of an all-time low world ranking of 12th.

Some people wonder, “Why has Wales been so poor?”

With almost 40 full-time professional players training at world-class facilities, they have doctors, nutritionists, and sport psychologists on their hands, making up the fourth-highest investment in women’s international rugby as a team.

Lynn himself is a proven winner and while it may not have showed, Wales do have some world class players in their ranks.

But if you delve a little deeper, you start to understand the bigger picture.

Few of the squad get regular game time, which raises questions about match fitness and sharpness, despite the majority of the squad practising in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR). You can run broncos in the barn all day long, but only minutes truly prepare the players for Test rugby.

None of the players who do feature are captains or leaders, which is how Wales’ game is played.

Who is calling the shots in the backline when the young co-captains are present? Lleucu George is a talent, but has a distinctive lack of voice for a fly-half, the same for those around her.

Lynn stated that he is interested in addressing this and will be working with PWR clubs to ensure that his players have opportunities.

The players must take a hard look at themselves, ultimately they are the ones who have to produce on the pitch.

Could contract complacency be their cause?

Not long ago, many people had to balance long-distance travel, family life, and full-time work just for the privilege of playing for their country.

And when it came time to get on the pitch, they had to make their sacrifices count.

Has the desire to play the game since it is now a professional? Is it merely a job where you are paid indefinitely?

I am sure the players would firmly disagree with that, but few will have got on the bus home on Sunday feeling they did themselves justice.

You simply had to look at Fiji to see what Wales sorely lacks.

Who are the big ball carriers in Wales? Who has the ability to break the line? Who are the top tacklers?

Questions are also posed by the coaches.

In stark contrast to teams like Scotland, who largely played the same XV, Lynn chopped and changed his side throughout the tournament as Wales struggled for any sort of consistency.

He admitted he thought he had put his best team out against Scotland, and when they did not deliver, there was no second chance for some.

Wales used to be proud of their defense, but since Dan Murphy’s appointment as a temporary defense coach, they have struggled to adapt to new systems. They have conceded 16 tries in just three games, with missed tackles and poor discipline a regular theme.

Wales were bullied at the breakdown, and they had one of the tournament’s slowest attacking ruck speeds, so Ben Flower was brought in to help strengthen the collision area.

Wales ‘ attack also needs to be freshened up by Shaun Connor, the backline has long come in for criticism for its lack of inventiveness and ultimately lack of tries. They no longer can rely on George’s boot; instead, they must be less predictable because the opposition is quickly catching on.

Although Lynn said he is a proud Welshman and they will “all stand together” through these “tough times,” there is so much to unpack in the unenviable post-mortem the lies ahead.

They have six months until the start of the Women’s Six Nations, when hopefully the future of Welsh rugby will be clearer, and when Wales can finally find a winning formula.