Wales have been left with plenty of soul-searching after bringing their 2026 rugby season to a disappointing end with a crushing 43-0 defeat to world champions South Africa in Durban.
The result marked Wales' ninth defeat in 12 Test matches during Steve Tandy's first season in charge, capping a difficult campaign that offered only fleeting signs of progress.
The Nations Championship had begun on a positive note with a 39-21 victory over Fiji in Cardiff, raising hopes of a revival under Tandy. However, those expectations quickly faded following a convincing defeat in Argentina before the Springboks handed Wales another comprehensive loss.
The demanding schedule also took its toll, with Wales travelling nearly 20,000 miles across six flights to fulfil two away fixtures in the newly introduced competition.
With the season now over, attention will turn to a thorough review of the campaign as coaches and administrators assess what went wrong and map out the team's path forward.
After a season filled with setbacks, Wales face growing pressure to rebuild, rediscover consistency and restore confidence ahead of their next international assignments.
