Welsh rugby 'on a precipice' after shocking year

The curtain is about to fall on another shocking year of failure in Welsh rugby.

There was a hope that things would not deteriorate in 2025 after a haunting 2024 but that anticipation soon evaporated over time.

Terms like 'laughing stock' have been used to describe the current crisis state of Welsh rugby. Events of the past 12 months make it hard to disagree with that assessment.

There have been record defeats, wooden spoons, high-profile resignations, Cardiff going into administration, top players leaving Welsh domestic rugby and yet more squabbles between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the regions.

"Welsh rugby is on the precipice." That was the verdict of former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley on Scrum V. Again, hard to disagree with those sentiments.

BBC Sport looks at another tumultuous 12 months for the men's game in Wales.

Record losses and changing coaches

The Wales men's international side is regarded as the pinnacle of Welsh rugby.

Having not recorded a Test victory in 2024, two wins this year against Japan and staying in the world's top 12 to avoid a harder World Cup pool draw might be deemed as progress.

Not really.

In 2025, Wales have had three men's head coaches, extended their unwanted record against tier one countries to 18 successive Test defeats, suffered a second successive Six Nations clean sweep of defeats and been humiliated in Cardiff with record home losses against England, Argentina and South Africa.

Played 10, lost 10. That was the dismal record of Wales' two national sides in the 2025 Six Nations over the space of 86 difficult days.

From the 43-0 Friday night Paris mauling suffered by the men's side in January, to the 44-12 hammering inflicted by Italy's women in late April, it proved a miserable three months as both sides finished rock bottom.

After Warren Gatland resigned in February following defeat to Italy in Rome, Matt Sherratt took over as interim boss for the rest of the Six Nations and the summer tour of Japan before Steve Tandy was appointed prior to the autumn internationals.

There might have been a change of personnel but the chastening days will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons.

It was hard to see how losing 68-14 and conceding 10 tries against England at the Principality Stadium in March could be topped.

That was before the 73-0 loss at the hands of South Africa at the end of November, the second worst result in Welsh rugby's history. Those two days have been among the bleakest known.

There was no surprise when there was a record low of two players, captain Jac Morgan and scrum-half Tomos Williams, named in the British and Irish Lions touring party to Australia.

Morgan came on as a replacement and produced a controversial, crucial clearout in the winning score that sealed the second Test and the series.

But apart from that moment, Welsh rugby seemed like a watching bystander to the combined success of England, Ireland and Scotland.

Domestic game loses star names

The regional game has again struggled on and off the field as Cardiff, Scarlets, Dragons and Ospreys have battled against the odds with smaller squads and budgets.

With no side qualifying for the Champions Cup in the 2024-25 season - when the final was held in Cardiff - Scarlets made Europe's elite tournament for this campaign by finishing in the top eight of the United Rugby Championship (URC).

Cardiff are flying the flag in the 2025-26 campaign as they finish the year in third place but Scarlets and Dragons occupy the bottom two positions.

December has also brought news Ospreys duo Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan are walking away from Welsh rugby's soap opera by signing for Gloucester next season.

Off-the-field headlines were dominated by Cardiff after going into administration in April before being taken over by the WRU.

Welsh rugby's governing body announced in October they want to cut one of the four professional sides by reducing the number to three, with licences to be granted in Cardiff and one each for the west and east.

Negotiations have continued and the WRU had been hoping a decision could be made by consensus before the end of the year but that was not achieved.

One solution proposed seeing Ospreys owners buying Cardiff and another possibility is a straight shootout between Scarlets and Ospreys.

If things are not resolved, the process will go out to tender and that could take six months.

So the process could still be ongoing in the spring when Wales will be attempting to avoid a third clean sweep of defeats in the Six Nations.

Lake cited the uncertainty in Welsh rugby - and not knowing whether Ospreys would exist in its current form next season - as major factors in his decision to move and that should set alarms bells ringing.

Whether other top players follow Lake and Morgan in leaving remains to be seen.

The pair of Boxing Day derbies that attracted more almost 25,000 fans demonstrated what could be achieved.

It is a one-off occasion at a specific time of year, granted, but imagine if the Welsh sides were playing in a league with away supporters in a competition fans identified with. Just imagine.

The WRU change process is being led by director of rugby and head of elite performance Dave Reddin, who was appointed in April, chair Richard Collier-Keywood and chief executive Abi Tierney, who will return to work in January after undergoing cancer treatment.

The faith in the ability of this trio to instigate and implement change is under intense scrutiny.

The WRU sent out a pre-Christmas message outlining what they say they had achieved in 2025 but also acknowledging how tough the year has been and why major change in Welsh rugby is required.

While they hold the power, whatever resolution they decide could result in financial issues or legal ramifications. People accept change is needed but do not want change to see their team disappear.

One of the major issues facing the WRU is the increasing lack of faith the Welsh rugby public have in its judgement.

The WRU are attempting to instigate radical change, while people reflect on what they consider a string of past mistakes made by the governing body that has resulted in the turmoil Welsh rugby finds itself in.

A glance at comments to any public messaging the WRU puts out on social media demonstrates the disdain and distrust that currently exists for the Welsh game's powerbrokers. Taking people with you on a journey is hard when these feelings are lingering.

The WRU are also hampered by changing their minds on key issues like the number of men's professional sides.

Before Cardiff went into administration they were adamant four equally funded sides would remain.

After Ospreys and Scarlets refused to sign a new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA), the WRU changed its tune and said the original assessment of equal funding for four was not possible.

The WRU then presented a two-team strategy as its preferred option before a public consultation persuaded them there should be three, resulting in the latest negotiations.

Reddin also wants more control over playing affairs at the remaining three sides which is also a major sticking point.

So this latest saga has caused more uncertainty among players and supporters about what the future holds, when clear direction is required.

Reasons to be cheerful in 2026?

Welsh fans will hope Tandy and Wales' women's head coach Sean Lynn can establish their philosophies and avoid finishing bottom of the Six Nations pile, while Louis Rees-Zammit's return from American football could provide some X-factor.

There will not be many reasons to be optimistic until the latest Welsh rugby restructure is resolved one way or another.

One thing Welsh rugby has to address is the apathy now surrounding the game.

People are starting not to care anymore about the on-the-field mediocrity and off-the-field controversies.

Christmas attendances might be encouraging but the floating feet need to be engaged permanently.

Former Wales captain Ken Owens posed the question about what was worse for Welsh rugby. Being considered a laughing stock or outsiders just now feeling sorry for this once proud rugby nation.

The attendances at the three home Six Nations matches against France, Scotland and Italy will be an acid test about whether the public remains interested in the Welsh rugby circus with more than 50% of WRU revenue coming from staging international games.

Many felt 12 months ago it could not get much worse. The following year has proved that it can. Let's hope things do not deteriorate even further in 2026.