Eight tries against South Africa in Cardiff, followed by two Test wins in Japan, gave Wales a striking change of pace after months of defeat. The team finished World Rugby’s new WXV Global Series with three wins from four matches, and head coach Sean Lynn says the results offer hope—not proof that the job is done—as Wales looks toward the 2029 World Cup.
Before the tournament, Wales had lost nine Tests in a row and fallen to a record-low world ranking of 13th. A narrow, two-point loss to the USA, a team ranked among the world’s top six, was the only result that stopped Wales from winning every match. The turnaround is all the more notable because, 12 months earlier, the team had not won a game at the World Cup.
“We’ve come into this WXV with three out of four wins,” Lynn said. “Are we the finished product? No we’re not, but we’re seeing the bigger picture of that roadmap to the 2029 World Cup.” He praised the players and staff after an intense 11-week stretch, while pointing to more work ahead. The players will return to their clubs in Premiership Women’s Rugby and the Celtic Challenge, where Lynn hopes they can keep improving.
Some of the change has come from building stability behind the scenes. Assistant coaches Ashley Beck and Steve Salvin joined permanently, defence coach Tyrone Holmes has had a growing role, and strength and conditioning specialist Gareth Harris has been brought in. Co-captain Kate Williams said the group had settled on a clear style of play and praised the physical and mental work by both players and staff.
Lynn has given 12 players their first caps in his 18 months in charge. Among the young players making an impression are Seren Lockwood, Branwen Metcalfe, Freya Bell and Amy Williams. Lynn singled out Williams, who had caught his eye at Cardiff Met and Brython Thunder, for her bravery and willingness to take on defenders. He said Bell also adapted quickly to international rugby, and believes other promising players are still out there. Competition for places, he said, means nobody can assume the Wales jersey is theirs.
Wales still needs to settle on a regular half-back pairing, the two players who run the team from scrum-half and fly-half. Kayleigh Powell had been paired with Lockwood against the Barbarians, but a hamstring injury ruled her out of the WXV. Keira Bevan moved from scrum-half to fly-half against South Africa, while Lleucu George started at fly-half against the USA and in the second Japan Test. Lockwood’s head injury limited the time Bevan and Lockwood played together. A run of matches in the 2027 Six Nations could help Wales find continuity in those key roles.
The series also brought strong performances from established players. Co-captain Alex Callender returned after missing the Six Nations through injury and led with tackles and turnovers. Prop Sisilia Tuipulotu scored four tries in the autumn and was described by Lynn as Wales’ best ball carrier. Their form, alongside the young players’ progress, gives Wales a base to build on. The wins have not made the team a finished product, but they have turned the road to 2029 into something Wales can travel with renewed belief.