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Wales were giants of rugby union in the 1960s and 70s, but are now struggling to compete at the top end of the sport. The men’s team are currently enduring a historically difficult period, losing 23 of their last 25 matches. This includes a streak of 18 consecutive Test defeats that only ended in July 2025 with a victory against Japan. In the Six Nations, they have suffered 13 successive losses, only five years after winning the competition.
Wales rugby commentator Gareth Rhys Owen explains to Ed Harry why the team’s decline was inevitable, given its reliance on the generational talents that led them to success in the 2010s. He also says structural and financial problems within the country’s domestic game could result in the game losing its place as the country’s most popular sport.
Former Wales and British and Irish Lions winger, Alex Cuthbert, says uncertainty about the future of the domestic game is creating a disconnect between fans and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
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