If the breath of fresh air that blew through Welsh rugby last weekend could be summed up in one player, it would be debutant Ellis Mee, the Scarlets wing.

Matt Sherratt is ready to hit the ground running to end Wales’ record 14-game losing streak but, whatever happens in the remainder of the Six Nations, the new caretaker coach has said he will not be seeking the role on a permanent basis. The exit of Warren Gatland by mutual consent on Tuesday led to Sherratt being parachuted in from his position as Cardiff head coach for Wales’ remaining three games in the Six Nations, starting with a home clash against champions Ireland on Feb. 22.

Warren Gatland has left his role as Wales coach midway through the Six Nations, with his team on a national-record losing streak of 14 matches. The decision was announced by the Welsh Rugby Union on Tuesday, three days after a 22-15 loss to Italy that appears to have sealed the New Zealander’s fate. Matt Sherratt, the head coach of Cardiff, will take over for the remainder of the Six Nations.

Warren Gatland should resign and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) should start looking for a replacement to bring in fresh ideas, according to Sir Clive Woodward. Wales’ well deserved 22-15 loss to Italy in Rome marked their 14th consecutive defeat, piling even more pressure on Gatland.

Sam Warburton has suggested Wales coach Warren Gatland may have “lost the dressing room” following the defeat to Italy. Former Wales captain Warburton – made captain by Gatland for two Lions tours – gave a damning verdict on Wales under Gatland after the team had suffered a 14th successive defeat in Rome.

Warren Gatland insists it’s business as usual for him as Wales continue to lose and fall further down the world rankings. Some coaches may have read the room and offered to resign after a 14th successive defeat led to a further drop in the rankings to 12th, a record low. But despite a deserved 22-15 defeat to Italy in Rome, Gatland was again talking about “working hard” and “staying tight” – just as he has been doing for almost 500 days since he last won a game of rugby.

First the good news – Wales are chasing a ninth consecutive win in Rome and Italy have only once made it back-to-back home wins in the Six Nations. Then comes the bad news.

Wales face Italy in Rome this weekend – looking for their first win after a difficult start to the Guinness Six Nations Championship. The match at Stadio Olimpico will be important for both teams, as Italy will be aiming to win back-to-back matches against Wales for the first time in their history.

Warren Gatland is banking on Taulupe’s 100+ cap experience providing his young Welsh side with a real boost in confidence as they seek to beat Italy in Rome in Round 2 of the Guinness Six Nations championship. The 34-year-old Cardiff Rugby No 8 has returned from his latest injury misery to pick up his 105th cap at Stadio Olimpico at the weekend in a vital clash for both nations.

Taulupe Faletau will play his first game for Wales since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being named on Thursday in the starting line up for their vital Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome on Saturday. In a boost for beleaguered Wales coach Warren Gatland, Faletau’s selection is one of two changes to the side that was heavily beaten in Paris last Friday in the opening game of this year’s tournament. Wales are on a run of 13 defeats and were they to extend that beyond this weekend, it would make Gatland’s position begin to look untenable as well as see the side slip below Georgia to 12th in the world rankings.

There are some words in sport that can really hurt. One of them was uttered by a French rugby pundit last Friday night, moments after Wales had succumbed to a 43-0 defeat in their opening Six Nations match against France.

The 2025 Guinness Six Nations championship is well underway and after a whitewash defeat in Paris last week, Wales will be looking to avoid another loss. Warren Gatland’s men are striving to put behind them what happened against France and aim to record their first win of the tournament – and first in 13 matches – against Italy in Rome.

James Botham has told his Wales teammates they must quickly put behind them the disaster of their opening night in Paris as they prepare for a crucial Six Nations encounter against Italy in Rome on Saturday. The Cardiff flanker has stressed the need to move forward after their 43-0 loss to France in Paris, which extended their losing streak to 13 matches dating back to the 2023 World Cup.

Richard Whiffin has pledged to pick up his Wales U20 side after their nine try defeat in France. Like their senior counterparts, the U20s began their own Six Nations with a jolting one-sided walloping, but at least they will head into the Italy fixture having got on the scoreboard.

Scarlets back-rower Taine Plumtree has been drafted into Wales’ Six Nations squad as they prepare for their crucial clash against Italy in Rome on Saturday. His call-up follows ongoing injury concerns for Aaron Wainwright and centre Owen Watkin, who both sustained injuries in Wales’ 43-0 defeat to France in Paris.

Josh Adams has labeled Wales’ upcoming Guinness Six Nations showdown with Italy as a pivotal moment in their campaign, as Warren Gatland’s side look to end a harrowing losing streak. Defeat in Rome would leave Wales staring down the prospect of a second consecutive Six Nations wooden spoon, with formidable fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, and England still to come.

Warren Gatland has admitted he’s already reached a new crunch point just one game into the Six Nations. The Wales coach – who managed to cling on to his job before the tournament – will know his team’s opening day defeat will fuel more doubts over his ability to halt a steep decline.

The back garden of the Emanuel household used to resemble “a war zone” when their sons Ioan and Steff were growing up. Straight and hard running was always the requirement when the two boys, who are only 18 months apart in age, played “one-on-one” rugby matches.

It looks like things are getting to get even worse before they get any better for Warren Gatland’s Wales after they were blown away by France in a 43-0 humiliation in Paris. As an opening gambit in a Six Nations championship, it was a pretty dire scoreline – the first time Wales had failed to score in a Five or Six Nations game since France won 51-0 at Wembley back in 1998.

Wales might be entering their opening clash of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations as massive underdogs on Friday night, but for second row Will Rowlands, at least the match at the Stade de France will feel like home turf. Currently playing his club rugby for Racing 92 in the Top 14, Rowlands is relishing the opportunity to start the tournament in the city where he now lives.