The feeling leaving the Stade de France was one of “c’est la vie”, underlining just where Welsh rugby is. The events that unfolded at Stade de France were disappointing but predictable.
Welsh rugby has been sleep walking into this crisis but there appears to be little urgency in addressing the immediate issues, while the long-term mismanagement of the game in Wales is coming home to roost.
Apathy is rife among Welsh public with ambition and expectations having been driven down. There is is still no completed long-time strategy document published.
It begs the question to WRU bosses of what is acceptable now under this current regime on and off the field? When will the number of defeats become too many and what can prompt change?
From the outside world, there is almost pity. Former Ireland wing Shane Horgan said Welsh rugby was “a basket case of a rugby country at the moment”.
French newspaper L’Equipe called this Wales squad the worst of the professional era.
Their France team were operating on a different level to their Welsh opponents and had the luxury of resting players for tougher tests later in the tournament with inspirational captain Antoine Dupont withdrawn after 49 minutes. Imagine the carnage that might have occurred if he had stayed on.
James Hook told the Scrum V podcast France did not even play well and never got out of second gear. The alarm bells are also ringing with two other former Wales fly-halves.
Ex-Wales captain and and former WRU chair Gareth Davies told the BBC Today programme it was the “lowest point he had seen”, even compared to the 1990s, when Wales lost 96-13 in 1998 in South Africa.
Biggar added: “Everyone is saying about an agenda, in terms of negativity, but it’s difficult to be overly positive because of the defeats and the way Wales are playing at the minute.”
