The Welsh Rugby Union is expecting Wayne Pivac's Wales to hit their straps over the autumn internationals and 2023 Six Nations with the experimental phase firmly over ahead of next year's World Cup.
Former Scarlets boss Pivac, who took the Wales reins after the 2019 global tournament, has enjoyed ups and downs in the hot-seat so far: leading Wales to a Six Nations and near Grand Slam in 2021 before finishing fifth and losing at home to Italy this year. Wales then bounced back this summer against world champions South Africa to record a first-ever Welsh win against the 'Boks in their own backyard.
Now, with just a year to go until his first World Cup, Wales are being expected to perform and deliver results. Wales face the All Blacks, Argentina, Georgia and Australia in Cardiff in November before hosting England and Ireland in the spring in the Six Nations, and will no doubt schedule testing World Cup warm-ups for next summer.
Asked how Wales are looking with 12 months to go, Welsh Rugby Union performance director Nigel Walker said: "I was out in South Africa and the senior men’s team acquitted themselves incredibly well [following the Six Nations Italy defeat]. They could quite easily have won the series 2-1, a couple more players were discovered, the depth of the squad is deeper than it was a couple of years ago.
"I would say we are in a good position. Nobody is complacent and nobody is saying we are going to win the World Cup or anything stupid like that, but we are in a good place.
"There has been a little bit of experimenting and the trialling of players. Wayne has been open about that. He has also said that period now is over, that experimenting will not take place over the autumn and Six Nations and I would expect our results to be good results over the course of the next six or eight months, in the build-up to the World Cup."
Speaking on the day Wales Women announced their World Cup squad before departing for New Zealand, Walker said he and Pivac are "challenging each other in terms of preparation and the issues or obstacles which might be in the way, and we are working together to remove those issues", adding: "Wayne and I have worked well together from day one and I will continue to support him in any way I can."
As for Wales' four regions, talks have been ongoing in the background between the WRU and Professional Rugby Board, which oversees the running of the men's professional game, for some time to solidify its future and ensure each entity can prosper. There had been hope an agreement would be reached before this season started, with Ospreys chief executive Nick Garcia revealing in June that it was 80% firmed up.
While Walker recognises there will be frustration in the length of time it is taking, he stresses the best solution is not necessarily the quickest one.
“They are continuing," he said of the talks. "We have a good relationship with the regions. We’re working with them. Obviously there are some differences but we are working to smooth those differences and to come up with a solution which gives us a consistent approach to regional rugby, so that both regional rugby and senior men’s rugby - the Welsh team - can be successful going forward.
“There isn’t a deadline. I know these talks are taking time. I know people will be getting frustrated. But we have to come up with the right answer, not necessarily the quickest answer.”
As for creating more of a spectacle, United Rugby Championship chief executive Martin Anayi has mooted double-headers with URC and English Premiership fixtures in a bid to create a "festival of rugby" atmosphere, namechecking the Principality Stadium as a potential option, which Walker would be open to.
"I read it with interest," he said. "I’m sure conversations will take place over the coming weeks and months. Obviously we want a successful, exciting, vibrant spectacle in the competitions that we play in, and if that means double headers with other leagues to make it more exciting and a better proposition for our spectators, of course we’re going to listen to that."
As for Wales' semi-pro league, the Welsh Premiership, much has been said about whether or not it should be cut or expanded, with the competition now set to jump from 12 to 14 clubs from the 2023-24 season after a proposed reduction to 10 teams was thrown out. Walker had been advocating for the latter, wanting to see the highest domestic club league in Wales streamlined to raise playing standards to become an effective finishing school for young Welsh talent. The final decision rests with the 21-strong WRU Community Game Board, which features representatives from the amateur clubs, and they have opted to stick with the plan which was agreed upon last year.
While a reduction has been shelved for now, Walker believes it may be a necessity over the coming years. "The quickest way to raise the standard of the Premiership is to reduce the number of teams," he said. "I understand why teams currently in the Premiership wouldn’t want that. We’re working with colleagues which includes the regions, the Premiership clubs and colleagues in WRU to come up with an answer.
"At some stage in the future, we will need to raise the standard of the Premiership so that it does become the finishing school for our most promising players - I’m going to limit it to our U20s. For the avoidance of doubt, it doesn’t mean teams in the Premiership will have 15 U20s. We’re talking about a cohort of U20s, perhaps the 30-34 players who feature for Wales at U20s level, the majority of them having their career mapped out and where they’re going to play their rugby in the following 12 months, and those individuals being prioritised at Premiership level.
"Some of them will go straight on to play for their region, or clubs in England where that’s appropriate, but the important thing is that most players are going to need a stepping stone before they get to regional rugby. It’s making sure that stepping stone is of the right quality."
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