Welsh rugby aims to recover heart and soul

In the build-up to Ireland's trip to Cardiff, former Wales coach Robin McBryde appeared to have summed up what was wrong with Welsh rugby.

"The biggest concern for me is rugby has lost its soul in Wales and I don't think anybody is enjoying themselves," said McBryde.

The ex-Wales hooker is well placed to make such a withering assessment having been part of Warren Gatland's backroom staff for 12 years before heading to Dublin to become Leinster's forwards coach.

Maybe what we witnessed for a couple of hours in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon can start to address McBryde's concerns.

It was Ireland who triumphed and lifted the Triple Crown at the Principality Stadium this weekend but it was the Welsh fans who left the ground with - at last - some optimism in their hearts, despite their team's losing international sequence stretching to 15 games.

Welsh rugby has been starved of positivity since the previous international win at the World Cup in October 2023.

It seems surreal yet another defeat could prove the catalyst to start healing the nation.

Interim head coach Matt Sherratt has provided a feelgood factor in a short space of time with the Principality Stadium rocking under the roof for the first time in a while.

The argument was nobody other than Gatland could get a tune out of a struggling inexperienced Welsh squad but events this weekend might have dispelled that myth with the arrival of a new conductor orchestrating events.

Cardiff coach Sherratt was asked to take on the caretaker role for the rest of the Six Nations after Gatland departed following a that worst ever losing streak, with the insipid loss against Italy proving the final straw.

Sherratt was thrust into the limelight but has taken everything in his stride since accepting the responsibility and the players have responded to the limited time together.

The temporary Wales boss asked for ambition and emotion from his squad and they displayed both this weekend.

The performance against Ireland was their most impressive for some time and unrecognisable from what was on show in Rome.

Despite only taking a handful of training sessions since his appointment, Sherratt implemented a clear and cohesive game plan, far detached from anything Wales had produced in losing to France and Italy.

Supporters could see an identity developing and a side they can start to identify with.

After recently signing a long-term contract with Cardiff, Sherratt has reiterated he does not want the Wales head coach job on a permanent basis.

Whether Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) bosses will attempt to change his mind remains to be seen.

If Wales want Sherratt involved in the national set-up but he does not want the top job, the WRU could try and attract him as the attack guru.

Under Gatland, Rob Howley and Alex King, Wales' offensive plan had ground to a halt but Sherratt has restarted the ignition.

A lot of this can be attributed to simple factors like selection and playing people in familiar positions.

One of Sherratt's first decisions was to bring fly-half Gareth Anscombe and centre Max Llewellyn into the squad after the Gloucester duo had been discarded by Gatland.

The pair were parachuted straight into the starting side in roles where they have excelled at Kingsholm this season.

Anscombe's presence as a specialist 10 allowed Ben Thomas to switch to his favoured inside-centre position.

These choices allowed Anscombe and Thomas to bring out the best in Llewellyn as the Wales midfield finally demonstrated some dynamism.

Wing Ellis Mee produced an assured Test debut display in only his 11th professional game and was agonisingly short of scoring a late try which could have changed the outcome.

Mee's Scarlets team-mate Blair Murray again impressed in the full-back role despite playing his regional rugby at wing.

Gatland brought Murray and Mee into the Wales set-up with the pair benefitting from a more cohesive attacking system.

Sherratt admitted Wales needed firm foundations and that was evident in Cardiff.

Adam Jones has come in as a scrum consultant for this tournament but must be courted for a full-time role.

Wales were impressive in the scrum in the 43-0 drubbing against France and held the upper hand against Ireland as the new front-row trio of Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee and WillGriff John helped secure four penalties.

Tight-head prop John, 32, particularly impressed during his Six Nations debut as he was winning his third cap and first for more than three years.

Lock Dafydd Jenkins produced a typically industrious display, while Will Rowlands was more prominent after being anonymous in the opening two defeats.

Open-side flankers Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell demonstrated they can play together in the same back row, while number eight Taulupe Faletau again proved why he is a generational performer by starring - despite little rugby and his advancing years.

Sherratt admitted his challenge now was to take the new coach 'bounce' into the trip to face Scotland on 8 March before England arrive in Cardiff seven days later for the tournament finale.

There needs to be a results reality check. Wales continue to rewrite the record books with a ninth successive Six Nations defeat representing the nation's most consecutive losses in the tournament.

It was also a 15th failure in 16 Six Nations games as Wales remain rooted to the bottom of the table with the threat of another Wooden Spoon.

Another Six Nations home defeat in Cardiff means Wales have not triumphed in this competition in front of their own fans in more than 1,100 days.

It was an eighth straight Test loss at home in a sequence that stretches back to August 2023 and Wales have not won an international anywhere in more than 500 days.

On the streets of Cardiff on Saturday night, these stark statistics did not seem to matter because nobody expected a Welsh win against the Six Nations' defending champions.

Some faith had been restored and the positive vibe existed despite, but also very much because of the misery of the past 16 months.

People seemed to be starting to enjoy themselves again. Maybe Welsh rugby's soul can return.