Wales go into the Six Nations as an outsider, with only Italy below them in the eyes of bookmakers. An opening fixture against favourites France has done nothing to bolster faith in the team.
Wales fans looking to bet on the tournament saw their team priced at around 50/1 at the start of the tournament. While this was significantly better than rank outsiders Italy who were as high as 250/1. France and Ireland lead the way while England and Scotland are priced at 4/1 and 9/1 respectively.
Of course, Wales could surprise everyone. Keeping an eye on the betting as the tournament progresses should give fans a better idea of how teams are playing. As well as licensed UK operators, gambling sites not on Gamstop can be a good option for sports fans looking for incentives and competitive prices. These sites are also recommended for those looking to gamble during their Gamstop self-exclusion.
While Wales is not the same side that was just minutes away from the 2019 World Cup Final, Warren Gatland has attempted to assemble a squad that balances exciting new talent like Dafydd Jenkins and Jac Morgan, who is the captain, with experienced stars like Liam Williams and Taulupe Faletau.
A wooden spoon in their last Six Nations outing should be avoided, but experts agree that the team will have to step up their efforts if they are to compete.
A 12-game streak without a win coming into the tournament isn’t the ideal preparation, and the prospect of a strong France game in the opener was not what Gatland’s team would have wanted.
However, if the team can’t lift their game for a major tournament like this, they won’t deserve to break their poor streak.
One positive for Welsh fans to take into the tournament is the wealth of experience that Gatland brings to the team, having led the side in previous tournaments.
He will be looking to key players like Tomos Williams who has been in magnificent form for Gloucester help transform the national side’s fortunes.
Another thing that could work in Wales’ favour is the low expectations from experts. This could result in the team having something to prove without the pressure of expectation, and could also see competitors going into games without the same focus they would have against a tournament favourite.
After getting just the second wooden spoon in their history at last year’s tournament, the new-look team will hope to gel and improve on their 2024 performance.
While the team has struggled to get results, there are signs that things could turn around with a good defensive work rate that has resulted in more than 200 tackles from their matches against South Africa and Australia.
Dafydd Jenkins’s record-breaking captaincy when he led the team at the age of 21 is another sign that the future should be bright for Wales.
As the third-placed Tier 1 player for tackles and turnover-winning tackles for every 80 minutes, 17.4 and 0.6 respectively, he proved that this honour was on merit and will hope to have a good Six Nations as he develops.