20 years after triumph, Welsh rugby stares at a play-off nightmare

Local TV Sport

As Wales marks 20 years since their 2005 Grand Slam triumph, their rugby future looks uncertain. After back-to-back last-place Six Nations finishes, they now face a potential play-off against a rising Georgia for a spot in the 2026 tournament. With Georgia pushing for inclusion, the prospect of a relegation battle adds a new layer of drama to European rugby.

Transcript

00:00As Welsh rugby reflects on one of its darkest periods, it also has a chance to remember its

00:08former glory. This week marked the 20th anniversary of one of the brightest days in Wales's rugby

00:15history, the 2005 Grand Slam. On that day, 75,000 fans packed into what was the Millennium Stadium

00:23with many more in the city centre to witness history as Wales secured their first Grand

00:29Slam in 27 years. A new coach, a confident team and a standout performance from Gavin Henson

00:37made that day unforgettable. It was a day when Wales finishing bottom of the Six Nations just

00:43two years earlier became a rugby force once again. Fast forward to 2025 and Welsh rugby finds itself

00:52in a much darker place. The Six Nations recently ended with Wales finishing once again bottom

00:59for the second consecutive year. I just think they need support. As I said, they're a good

01:06group of lads. There's some really good players in the room as well. As you know, there's going

01:11to be some fresh appointments over the next couple of weeks and I think it's just about

01:18resetting and trying to move forward as quickly as possible. Now as Georgia's rugby program

01:24continues to rise, they have earned the right to challenge Wales for a spot in the 2026 Six Nations

01:31in a playoff. Richard Cockrell, Georgia's head coach, argues that if Wales continue to finish

01:37at the bottom of the Six Nations, it's only fair they face Georgia in a playoff for a place in the

01:44next tournament. Georgia, having won their eighth successive rugby European championship title,

01:51believe they are ready to play at Europe's highest level. With Wales currently ranked 12th in the

01:59world, just one place below Georgia, the idea of a playoff to determine who will compete in the Six

02:05Nations adds an intriguing element of jeopardy, one that fans would undoubtedly want to see.

02:14you

Category

Transcript

Recommended