Wales have slumped to 12th in the world rankings
The trajectory of the Wales women's rugby team has seen a significant downturn in recent years. After turning professional in 2022, Wales achieved consecutive third-place finishes in the Six Nations, culminating in 2023 with a peak world ranking of sixth.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) invested substantially, making Wales one of the best-paid professional women's teams, addressing years of underfunding. However, despite this financial commitment, the team’s results have deteriorated.
Sean Lynn's appointment as head coach last year brought renewed hope, but even with his experience as a three-time Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) title holder, he has yet to convert the team from a bottom-ranked side into a consistent winner.
In his first year, Wales lost all five Six Nations matches and all three World Cup pool games, with their sole victory in 2025 occurring during the summer tour of Australia.
Now, with more time at his disposal, Lynn faces pressure to deliver results, beginning with Saturday's Six Nations opener against Scotland at Principality Stadium (16:40 BST).
New faces but old rivalries as Wales host Scotland
Wales will field two new caps in their Six Nations opener.
Reputations on the line
Lynn inherited much of Ioan Cunningham's previous regime, but this campaign marks the first where he has had the opportunity to imprint his own vision on the squad and coaching staff.
Following a rigorous post-World Cup review, Shaun Connor (attack coach) and Mike Hill (forwards coach) were replaced by Ashley Beck and Steve Salvin. Tyrone Holmes, formerly with Scotland, joined as Wales' first full-time defence coach. The squad has also been refreshed with nine potential debutants.
There are no known off-field issues affecting preparations, so the focus is squarely on performance and accountability.
"It's a high performance sport," said Lynn. "I learned a lot about myself [last year]. I learned a lot about the group and I learned a lot about the programme. Those small changes that I've made within the programme itself, the Celtic Challenge, what we're looking at coming into camp, I'm hoping we will start to see the big difference in that."
Steve Tandy shows the way
Lynn can draw inspiration from Wales men's head coach Steve Tandy, who recently ended a three-year Six Nations losing streak with a final round victory over Italy. Despite defeats, the men's performances showed promise.
It is hoped the women's team can similarly turn their campaign around.
"I've worked really closely with Steve Tandy, I've been into his camp, it's an open environment," said Lynn. "That's what we're about, supporting each other as a nation."
Wales captain Kate Williams said: "We can be inspired by them [Wales men], but we're not limited to what they're doing as well. We're looking internally about what we can do and finding confidence in ourselves to then be able to put out our own performance and write our own story."
Inspiration has also come from other Welsh sporting figures, such as boxer Lauren Price, who retained her world titles in Cardiff recently.
"Something like Saturday night inspired me massively," Lynn said. "We are one Wales and we are such a proud nation, that for me was who we are and what we're about."
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Former New Zealand Navy officer Kate Williams will captain Wales in the 2026 Women's Six Nations.
No grudges and starting strong
Wales might be expected to hold a grudge after Scotland dominated them in their World Cup opener last summer, a defeat that ended Wales' knockout hopes. Wales have not beaten Scotland in over three years, despite previously having the upper hand.
However, Williams emphasized the team's focus on moving forward as they enter a new World Cup cycle.
"We do have fire in the belly there, but also it's a bit of a fresh start for us as well, and we're looking forward," she said. "We're not looking to carry all of that through to the Six Nations. When we step out there, it's not just fueled by emotion, it's fueled by belief in ourselves and our abilities."
WRU to express interest over team in PWR
Are Wales going into the Six Nations undercooked?
With strong teams like France and England awaiting in rounds two and three, Wales understands the importance of a strong start against Scotland.
"It's always important to try to get the first win as quickly as possible, but I think we're also looking for a performance," said Williams. "We're looking for something to build on as we go through the tournament. We can't be looking at France and England before we look at Scotland first, it's step by step."
Scotland arrives in Cardiff with some uncertainty. Several key players, including Evie Gallagher, Lisa Thomson, and Fran McGhie, are sidelined due to injury. New head coach Sione Fukofuka has had limited time to influence the team.
Captain Rachel Malcolm has cautioned there may be "a step back in some areas," but Wales knows from past experience not to underestimate Scotland.
Few expected Scotland to defeat Wales last August amid contract uncertainties before the World Cup, yet Scotland demonstrated passion and determination. Wales will need to match that intensity to secure their first Six Nations win since April 2024.
