This November could prove a defining campaign for Wales in more ways than one. Since Steve Tandy took the helm, Wales have won just three of their 12 Tests. There are mitigating circumstances, not least the parlous state of the side he inherited, but if results do not improve soon, the Welsh Rugby Union could face an even greater financial headache than the one it is already confronting.
Ticket sales sluggish for autumn fixtures
During last year’s Six Nations, Wales attracted just 57,744 for the defeat by France, admittedly on a Sunday, while ticket sales also appear sluggish for the forthcoming Nations Championship fixtures against Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
Wales face the Wallabies on November 21 at 8.10pm and, according to the WRU’s website, there are currently around 44,000 tickets still available. A further 36,000 remain on sale for the meeting with Japan, while even the New Zealand game has around 30,000 left.
The WRU is clearly aware of the challenge, with students now being sold tickets for just £10. It is a significant reduction and shows the lengths the union are having to go to in order to attract supporters at 8.10pm on a Saturday night a few weeks before Christmas.
The cycle of negativity
The reality is the WRU finds itself trapped in a cycle of negativity. Asking supporters to pay around £70 for a match ticket, before factoring in the cost of travel, food and drink, is a difficult proposition in an economically challenged part of the country in these very difficult times, particularly when there is little on-field evidence to suggest their money will buy them an enjoyable evening.
The WRU’s decision to reduce the number of professional clubs from four to three has been cited by many as the principal reason for the decline in attendances. Yet it is more telling that supporters continued to turn up in large numbers during previous periods of off-field turmoil when the national team was winning.
Welsh rugby has endured its share of crises away from the pitch, many of which have coincided with Wales campaigns. The proposed merger between the Ospreys and Scarlets during the 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam campaign remains one of the more extraordinary examples. But supporters still flocked to the Principality Stadium because Wales were winning, the story around the side and players was exciting. People wanted to be part of it.
The central issue: Wales are not winning enough
That is the problem facing the WRU now. The prospect of this team winning has consistently felt a long way off, with the message being one of a long-term journey with no specific time-scale. The WRU’s financial model is heavily dependent on the fortunes of the men’s national team and its ability to fill the Principality Stadium.
The Principality Stadium remains one of the great rugby venues, capable of producing arguably the finest atmosphere in the sport when it is at its best. Wales also have a stadium and staff that knows how to put on an event, a point frequently made by opposition players who have experienced it first-hand.
The off-field problems have undoubtedly made life more difficult, but ultimately there is no getting away from the central issue. Wales are not winning enough rugby matches. The narrative of accepted mediocrity is the worst possible place to be and that has to change this season.
The All Blacks may represent a step too far at this stage, but Japan should be beaten and Wales must at least be very competitive against Australia. The Six Nations presents an all together different challenge, with France in Paris first up, but Wales should be setting their sights on causing an upset in one of their home games against Ireland or England and making sure they beat Italy in Rome to avoid yet another Wooden Spoon.
Encouraging signs and the need for hope
There were encouraging signs during last season’s championship. Wales were desperately unlucky to lose to Scotland, stood up physically to Ireland in Dublin and then put Italy away with relative comfort in Cardiff. That needs to become the starting point. The generally meek summer defeats to Argentina and a severely weakened South Africa were a disappointing step back.
Wales do not have to win every match, but supporters need to see a team that is improving, competing and, importantly, giving them something to get excited about. Even in defeat there has to be evidence of a side moving forward rather than simply treading water, because the Welsh public are not asking for miracles. They want to believe there is a plan, that the team is improving and that better days are ahead.
Above all, they want hope and right now, and hope is the one thing Welsh rugby is desperately short of. The concern is that poor attendances do not simply represent a problem for the WRU’s finances in the short term. They could also strengthen the argument for further cuts to the professional game. With the union already planning to reduce to three sides, half-empty stadiums and a sustained drop in revenue would be troubling for all concerned with the game.
