Next up in our set of previews ahead of the 2026 Six Nations, we examine the prospects of last year’s sixth-placed finishers, Wales.
Steve Tandy’s side come into the Championship in a weird position. The greater existential crisis surrounding the very fabric of Welsh rugby almost takes the spotlight away from the field for the time being, but there is still a lot for them to fix this year.
The men’s national side have endured a bumpy ride themselves in the past few years, even before Tandy‘s tenure, but wins are slowly working their way back into the form column. Wales ended 2025 with a run of two wins from six, but within that, they also conceded 50+ points on three occasions in the autumn and suffered their heaviest-ever home defeat to the Springboks as well.
However, the focus for Wales should be on those green shoots from the past few months this Six Nations, with this still very much a campaign about laying foundations.
Last year
The 2025 Six Nations was, much like the past few years, turbulent to say the least. Two opening defeats to France and Italy set in place a drastic change in the backroom staff, with Warren Gatland leaving his post mid-Championship and Matt Sherratt handed the reins for the rest of the campaign.
Things did seem to improve under the Cardiff boss’s watch, albeit without the results to go with it, giving Ireland an almighty scare at the Principality before picking up two bonus points against Scotland, but then, it all went rather sour as England ran riot to hand Wales a 10-try thrashing on home soil.
But, when reflecting back on their 2025 campaign, you almost have to take it at the value of that England defeat. It, like the loss to the Boks in November, served as a stark reminder of the overall state of Welsh rugby and where the national team sit in comparison to their rivals.
There were certainly plenty of positives to take out of their improved performances against Ireland and Scotland, which they seemed to build on in the summer tour and then again in November – prior to the heavy Boks defeat. The attack seemed far more connected, far more free-flowing and far more adventurous, largely led by the ideals of Sherratt’s game and his own background as an attack coach – after all, that’s the role he currently holds in the national side. There was also a sharp improvement in their defence, which again cannot be overstated.
This year
A lot has happened between the end of the 2025 Six Nations and the start of the 2026 edition, but the challenge facing Wales has certainly not changed.
They begin their campaign with a daunting trip to Allianz Stadium, Twickenham to face an England side in great form, before back-to-back home games against France and Scotland.
It’s one of the cruellest opening runs of any side this Six Nations – not that anyone has it easy – with the two title favourites in their opening fixtures before facing a Scotland side they haven’t beaten since 2022. Scotland is an interesting game, though, and could be one Wales target given how close they pushed them last year. Gregor Townsend’s side have shown their vulnerabilities in recent outings too, notably in the Autumn Nations Series when they lost to the All Blacks and Argentina despite having a healthy lead at points, so Wales could look to tap into that and come out on top. It’s a tall ask, but not out of the realm of possibility.
A break before heading over the Irish Sea to face Andy Farrell’s men in Round Four does offer them a chance to take stock of the early block of fixtures, which could do them some good, before they end their campaign back at home against Italy.
It’s that Italy fixture at the end of the campaign which stands out as Wales’ best shot at avoiding the wooden spoon, you feel.
This has quickly become a grudge match in recent years, with the Azzurri’s rise coinciding with Wales’ fall, and often defines who finishes the year at the foot of the table as well. It will be no walk in the park, though, with Italy once again building nicely ahead of the Six Nations, but Tandy should certainly be looking at this one.
Key players
Once again, Wales will likely look to captain Dewi Lake for inspiration this campaign. The powerhouse hooker has been one of his nations’ standout players in recent campaigns, with his abrasive carrying particularly coming to the fore. Around that, he is now a settled leader within this squad, even without Jac Morgan alongside him, and should have a major influence on the rest of the squad.
Exeter Chiefs’ Dafydd Jenkins also comes into the Six Nations bang in-form, and will likely play a major role for Wales as a result. Again, he’s just a gritty, impactful player who enjoys doing the ugly stuff, and simply thrives in the tight. He is still pretty young, but yet brings heaps of leadership to Tandy’s side through his respective Test and PREM captaincy experiences.
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Tomos Williams, the only British and Irish Lions tourist in Wales’ Six Nations squad this year, is also set to take on a big part this Championship. His desire to play at speed around the ruck should again see him take a starring role in their attack, possibly becoming their chief playmaker as a result. One thing that will be interesting to see is how his partnership with Dan Edwards progresses at this level, with the pair starting three of the November Tests together. The Ospreys man is also developing quite nicely now too, after previously flirting with the Test side, and having Williams alongside him should only speed that up further.
Louis Rees-Zammit is also back for his first Six Nations campaign since returning from the NFL, and comes into it with big expectations. He has been in really good touch for Bristol of late and his pace and power should give Wales genuine X-factor in attack. Around that, he will likely form a tasty combination with Blair Murray as the Championship progresses. Murray himself has been his side’s chief attacking weapon in Rees-Zammit’s absence, notably seeing himself thrust into the Lions conversation last year as a result, but with the load taken off him slightly we could see him become even more impactful. One thing that will be interesting to see between them is their shifting of positions, with both men able to chop and change between wing and full-back.
Players to watch
Tandy hasn’t flooded his squad with new faces, but uncapped duo Gabriel Hamer-Webb and Louie Hennessey certainly warrant their places. Leicester man Hamer-Webb flirted with the Wales squad during his stint at Cardiff, and was possibly unlucky to not go on the summer tour of Japan, but he does now finally get his chance. He has quickly found his footing in the East Midlands as well, and importantly comes into the Championship in good touch, and would also give Wales something different out wide should he make the squad.
Bath man Hennessey is also developing really quickly, and spending time in a senior Test environment will only help his progress. Wales have also not been afraid to throw players like him in at the deep end in recent years, so certainly watch this space.
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Ospreys scrum-half Reuben Morgan-Williams is also worth keeping an eye on this Six Nations, given his rapid development in the past few years. He is also built more in the Williams style of scrum-half, in that he enjoys playing fast, attacking rugby while also offering his own threat ball-in-hand too, but you feel this Championship campaign is the right time to give him consistent minutes in the Test side.
The scrum is also going to be a key area for Wales this Six Nations, especially with loosehead duo Nicky Smith and Rhys Carre involved in the wider squad. Whichever order you start them in, be it in the run-on group or the bench, they will both bring a proper attacking edge to the scrum, with both men able to win penalties for fun, and that could see Wales develop a proper plan built around the scrum. They are also both excellent ball-in-hand, which just adds further quality. Props don’t usually take the spotlight, but this duo should be ones to watch.
Prospects
As mentioned above, Wales have one of the toughest fixture runs this Six Nations, which could condemn them to another year at the foot of the table. Momentum and confidence are such key things in any Six Nations campaign, but the fact that they have their four hardest Tests in the first four rounds could cost them dearly.
Again, though, this campaign isn’t just about results; it’s about laying genuine foundations to build from in this new Tandy-led era. It’s about building on those shoots of green from their various campaigns across 2025, honing in on them and creating an identity based on it. If they do that, it could lead to genuine success in the future, even if it’s painful in the here and now.
A win would certainly go a long way in that respect, for sure, and the best-case scenario could even be two wins, but for now, it seems it’s another year rooted to the bottom of the table. Sixth.
Fixtures
Saturday, February 7 v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Sunday, February 15 v France (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
Saturday, February 21 v Scotland (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
Friday, March 6 v Ireland (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
Saturday, March 14 v Italy (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)