January blues? Not for Robin Davey, who says with European dreams trampled into the dirt once more, the Wales players will feel liberated when they cross under the watch towers at the “Jail of Glamorgan”. The Six Nations is coming and Wales are on a nine-match winning streak. What’s to feel blue about?
Europe may have been a disaster for the regions, not to mention for the whole country on the political front, but Wales can still head into the Six Nations full of optimism.
Head coach Warren Gatland had major injury worries before naming his final Six Nation squad, but he has the satisfaction of increasing the depth in the squad over the past year or more so that Wales can still present a formidable front.
After naming his squad on Tuesday, Gatland was asked how well they might do in the 2019 tournament. He replied there was no reason why they cannot win it – and he’s right.
Forget the struggles of the regions – on and off the field. Most of the Wales players will jump onto their cars and drive to the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel with a smile on their faces.
It won’t be a feel-good factor from the past few weeks, but it will be the relief and excitement of joining up with a team that might actually win something.
The loss of Taulupe Faletau is, of course, a massive blow after the brilliant No 8 re-broke his arm on his first game back for Bath last weekend, when even then he marked his return by showing terrific form.
And there are other concerns, notably full back Leigh Halfpenny, who is still struggling to recover from the effects of concussion. He is still included in the squad while there is no such luck for Ellis Jenkins because of a serious knee injury.
But Wales can now boast real depth and they go into the Six Nations on the back of a triumphant clean sweep in the autumn internationals which included victories over southern hemisphere giants South Africa and Australia.
And while it would be foolish to underestimate the threat France will provide on their own patch in the tournament opener in three weeks’ time, Wales can nevertheless be real title challengers.
The first game will be vital if Wales are to carry on where they left off in the autumn and gather some much needed momentum.
Adding to Welsh optimism, France are in some disarray and, typically, no-one has any idea how they will perform, least of all themselves.
For back in the autumn they suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Fiji, going down 21-14, in France as well, and they were also beaten by the Springboks.
So, as ever, they are capable of producing moments of magic but are equally adept at slumping to ignominious defeats.
The fear factor has now gone and Wales have shown in the recent past there is nothing to worry about going to Paris.
For they have won there on two of their last three visits, triumphing 20-13 in 2015 and 16-6 two years earlier while on their last visit in 2017 they almost made it a hat-trick, pipped 20-18.
Overall Wales have beaten France 49 times compared with 44 defeats and they have won 19 times in France. So there’s every reason to be confident.
Win that and follow up with another victory in Italy and Wales can approach heavyweight home clashes against England and Ireland, Scotland at Murrayfield sandwiched between, with every confidence.
And Gatland will ultimately finish knowing he has added considerably to the quality depth in the squad – Aaron Wainwright, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard and Ellis Jenkins, for example, have all progressed while he has given players like Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell and Josh Adams an opportunity.
On top of that he has pulled a few rabbits out of the hat from outside Wales, like Leicester’s Jonah Holmes.
So, striking an optimistic new year note, I’d say that despite the huge threat posed by Ireland, Wales will be right up there among the favourites to lift the Six Nations trophy.
