Wales' flanker Jac Morgan has sparked a glimmer of hope among fans with his assertion that the national rugby team is steadily closing the gap on the world's elite – despite taking a battering in the Nations Championship. The 25-year-old's confidence comes after a season marked by heavy defeats to Argentina and South Africa, but also featuring a morale-boosting opening round victory against Fiji at the Principality Stadium.
The 43-0 drubbing at the hands of reigning world champions South Africa was particularly galling, especially given that the Springboks fielded a rotated side with four debutants. Yet Morgan remained resolute in his assessment, saying: "I think we are – or at least we hope we are. You can see the progress we've made since the autumn." A statement that echoed the sentiments of head coach Steve Tandy, who has overseen an encouraging start to Wales' journey under his stewardship.
Wales rounded off their inaugural season under Tandy with a respectable three wins from 12 Tests – beating Japan, Italy, and Fiji along the way. The team's efforts were rewarded with a surprise jump in the world rankings, leapfrogging into 11th place after a poor outing by Italy in Australia.
Morgan pointed to specific instances of progress, highlighting their performances against Scotland and Ireland during the Six Nations, as well as the victory over Italy, which he described as "a pleasing result". The win over Fiji at the start of the summer was also hailed as a notable achievement, given the visitors' reputation for being tough nuts to crack.
Morgan's own season has been a tale of two halves – the flanker missing eight Tests after suffering a shoulder injury in Wales' Nations Championship opener against Argentina. However, his return to action will be a boost for Tandy's squad as they look to build on their recent progress. Morgan said: "We just have to keep developing and we've been doing that as a squad. There are still plenty of lessons to learn, but the more we play together, the more experience we gain and the more we can improve."
As Wales prepares for its next set of Nations Championship fixtures in November 2026 – including matches against Japan, New Zealand, and Australia at the Principality Stadium – one thing is certain: the competition will be fierce. The team's sights are firmly set on the 2027 World Cup, where they'll face England, Tonga, and Zimbabwe in a group stage that promises to be an exhilarating ride.