Three years of woe – what has changed since Wales’ last Six Nations win?

That none of Wales’ scorers from their last Six Nations victory will be on the field against Italy this Saturday shows how much has changed since their win in Rome on this date in 2023.

Steve Tandy’s men suffered a 15th straight loss in the tournament last weekend despite a spirited and physical showing against Ireland in Dublin.

Points difference means they are highly unlikely to avoid a third wooden spoon on the bounce, even if they beat Italy with a bonus on Saturday and England have a pointless trip to Paris.

But Wales are desperate for a win to prevent the losing streak going into the 2027 championship, which starts with away assignments in France and Scotland.

Wales won in Rome when full-back Liam Williams, wing Rio Dyer and number eight Taulupe Faletau crossed to go along with a penalty try and eight points from fly-half Owen Williams.

The side featured captain and hooker Ken Owens, flanker Justin Tipuric and hooker Scott Baldwin, who have retired from professional rugby.

Full-back Williams, George North and Rhys Webb are no longer on the Test stage with the latter retiring from Test rugby before the 2023 World Cup and subsequently being banned from playing for four years for a doping violation in France..

Nine of the matchday squad that lined up in Rome are in the current squad – full-back Louis Rees-Zammit, wing Josh Adams, centres Mason Grady and Joe Hawkins, scrum-half Tomas Williams, loose-head prop Gareth Thomas, tight-head Tomas Francis, locks Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard.

Flanker Jac Morgan and number eight Faletau are injured while wing Dyer and open-side Tommy Reffell were overlooked.

Wales legends Alun Wyn Jones and Leigh Halfpenny were dropped for the fixture three years ago while fly-half Dan Biggar missed out due to a back injury.

The 2023 squad had a core of experienced international performers while just six of Steve Tandy’s matchday 23 in Dublin were Test half-centurions.

Wales v Italy 2023: L Williams; Adams, Grady, Hawkins, Dyer; O Williams, Webb; Wyn Jones, Owens (capt), Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Warren Gatland returned for a second spell as head coach of the national team in December 2022 after the sacking of Wayne Pivac.

Gatland was assisted for the 2023 Six Nations by coaches Alex King, Jonathan Humphreys, Mike Forshaw, Neil Jenkins and Jonathan Thomas.

None of them are still part of the national set-up.

At the time, current boss Steve Tandy was Scotland’s defence coach and his assistants were in the club game, Danny Wilson at Leicester ahead of a move to Harlequins and Matt Sherratt with Cardiff.

A lot has changed in three years, but Wales are still hindered by off-field turmoil.

Gatland’s side travelled to Rome after defeats to Ireland, Scotland and England, with that Principality Stadium fixture against the English only taking place after strike action was averted.

There was a split in the camp about fulfilling the lucrative game amid financial uncertainty in Welsh rugby.

“Welsh rugby can’t keep going on this merry-go-round of crisis after crisis, because it is affecting everyone in the game,” said captain Ken Owens in a press conference after the last-ditch talks.

“We need to pull together now and find the best way forward, and do it together to put Welsh rugby at the top end of world rugby, and not the laughing stock, which I think we are at the moment.”

Few would argue that Welsh rugby has lost that tag.

The 2026 Six Nations takes place amid a Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) plan to cut from four men’s clubs to three due to financial pressures.

Swansea Council is taking legal action over the threat to Ospreys, there is an EGM looming and politicians have been criticising the governing body.

Three years ago Nigel Walker was interim chief executive after the resignation of Steve Phillips in January 2023 after a BBC Wales programme raised allegations of misogyny, sexism and racism in the WRU.

Current chief executive Abi Tierney has been in the role since January 2024 while Richard Collier-Keywood has been chairman since the summer of 2023 on a three-year term.

Wales travelled to Italy three years ago at risk of dropping outside the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time, that after briefly being top under Gatland ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

The squad had suffered 12 defeats in their last 15 games, but climbed to ninth in the rankings with victory in Rome.

They were 10th ahead of the 2023 World Cup when hopes were an awful lot higher than they will be next year.

“This group is in a good place and I promise you now we will surprise a few people,” said Gatland ahead of a tournament that ended with a disappointing quarter-final defeat by Argentina.

Wales have only beaten Japan twice since that loss to the Pumas and are currently ranked 12th after falling as low as 14th after a first Test loss to the Brave Blossoms last summer.

There have been signs of improvement under Tandy throughout the championship, with the boss stressing there are no shortcuts, but there is a chasm to the top teams in the world.

Gatland’s side travelled to Rome three years ago at risk of finishing with the wooden spoon for the first time since 2003.

Wales avoided a clean sweep of defeats on that occasion and ended up fifth.