Winless Wales are 'in a better place' - Lynn

Despite a winless World Cup campaign, head coach Sean Lynn insists Wales are in a much better place than they were after the Six Nations.

Wales lost all five games in the championship earlier this year before defeats by Scotland, Canada and Fiji condemned them to the foot of Pool B.

"We showed character in this game and I didn't see that in the Six Nations," Lynn said.

"We've showed that we are being brave and we can move the ball, but also we've got a driving maul."

Lynn also repeated the first words he said when he was unveiled as Ioan Cunningham's successor earlier this year.

"I'm a proud Welshman," he said with emotion.

"It Is tough, everybody wants to make sure that we're getting results, but I'm in it and I've said to the players that we're all going to be standing together.

"There are some tough times, but we are in a much better place than we were after Italy with the character and the individuals, there was much improvement.

"But we've got a long way to go from where I want us to be."

The players will have a week off now before heading back to camp for their World Cup review and then onto their clubs, mostly in the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) for the start of the new league season.

Former Gloucester-Hartpury boss Lynn says how his players are managed in England's top tier will be pivotal to any Welsh success going forwards.

"They need to be playing," he said.

"You can look at it and say 'all these players are playing in the PWR and are part of PWR programmes', but how many of those are playing in under pressure matches, or are they just in the squad? That's something we need to be looking at."

The Celtic Challenge, which features two teams from Wales, Scotland and Ireland, is also high on Lynn's agenda, having produced the likes of Seren Lockwood, Alaw Pyrs and Maisie Davies.

"The programme needs to be making sure that we are mirroring what it's going to be in Test match rugby," Lynn said.

"I've looked at the programme [for Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning] and we will be looking at a central point of contact.

"Players will be coming in and I'll be looking at running some of that as well."

In the meantime Lynn and the players head home to lick their wounds, and while it all feels a bit roar at the moment, Lynn remains positive.

"There is optimism, but it's making are that we are managing these players and getting them ready for the Six Nations," he said.

They have six months until the tournament begins next Spring.