Wales are preparing to face Ireland in the Six Nations, aiming to demonstrate they are not a laughing matter. The match follows disparaging comments made about Welsh rugby on an Irish podcast. The comments were made by former international Andrew Trimble and actor Jamie Dornan.
Wales Seek to Silence Doubters
Wales will play Ireland in Dublin. Steve Tandy’s side will have the chance to make their critics eat their words under the Friday night lights. Not many will give the visitors a hope against an Irish side who hammered England in a record away victory.
Captain Dewi Lake and his players have the opportunity to prove Wales are no laughing matter on the world stage. The internal damaging divisions in Welsh rugby are evident. The negative external opinions of the game in Wales that have emerged across the rugby world must be addressed.
Any Welsh player catching a clip of Trimble, Dornan and Irish comedian Vittorio Angelone laughing uncontrollably, taking the mickey out of Wales with cutting comments about the state of Welsh rugby, will surely feel wounded, even if it was meant as banter. Dornan admitted the current plight of Welsh rugby broke his heart.
The State of Welsh Rugby
Times have been tough in recent years. The game in Wales has been in disarray on and off the field. Despite this, Welsh rugby does not expect to be laughed at as they face Ireland in another Six Nations date.
Wales have not won a Six Nations away game for three years.
Wales’ most impressive display of the Tandy era was the 26-23 defeat against Scotland. This has given Welsh supporters some small hope things will improve soon. Clinging on to some green shoots of recovery is perhaps indication for some of how low Welsh rugby has sunk.
Former Ulster wing Trimble said: “They are so bad we actually feel sorry for them, we don’t even slag them. Let’s do them a favour and slag them.”
No Pity Required
Welsh rugby does not want pity or derision.
Welsh fans will excuse Trimble and co for not doing them that favour. They do not require the pity. “There has been a lot of sympathy towards us, which is not nice,” former Wales centre Tom Shanklin told BBC Scrum V.
“People feel sorry for us but they must remember Wales have been a massive part of this tournament and helped create it to the level it is now.”
The shambolic state of Welsh rugby evokes reactions like those of Trimble and Dornan. Concerning headlines and poor results allow them to belittle the Welsh game, even in a playful way. The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) faces the prospect of an extraordinary