Online Reporter
THE 2027 Rugby World Cup is still a good 20 months away and a lot will change between now and then.
The Sables will be marking their return to the World Cup when it gets underway in Australia between October 1 and November 13.
Zimbabwe will start their World Cup adventure with a date against the Welsh Dragons at the Adelaide Oval on October 2.
The next match, eight days later, will be against England at the same venue.
The Sables’ final group game is against Tonga on October 15 in Townsville.
It’s very likely that Zimbabwe coach, Piet Benade, is following the events in the Six Nations, especially those related to the matches featuring Wales and England.
While both teams lost again at the weekend, it’s the Wales results which have become a big talking point.
Wales lost for the 14th successive Six Nations game when they went down fighting in a 23-26 loss to Scotland.
That figure will certainly increase to 15 when Wales travel to Ireland on Friday, March 6, in their next assignment.
Wales are already facing a battle to avoid a third straight wooden spoon and have lost 23 of their last 25 fixtures.
Languishing at 11th in the world rankings and with back-to-back wooden spoons behind them, you now have to go back to 2023 for the last time the Welsh tasted victory in the Six Nations championship.
Wales fans will argue that they saw some fire in the belly of their troops, which had been lacking in recent games and while they didn’t win the game, they have a reason to be hopeful.
For it’s been a while since Welsh rugby fans have woken up on a Sunday morning after a rugby international feeling agony and hope in equal measure.
The agony represents Wales losing – after leading 20-5 and 23-12 – to a Scotland side that only held the advantage for the final six minutes of the game.
The hope comes from Wales producing the finest performance of the Steve Tandy era, one that shows what could be possible.
Yes, it was a 24th defeat in 26 internationals since October 2023 and a 14th successive Six Nations loss in a record stretching back three years.
Yes, Wales have slipped to 12th in the world rankings and are still facing another Wooden Spoon with matches to follow against a rejuvenated Ireland and then Italy.
And the off-the-field disarray that has engulfed Welsh rugby still exists and will continue to rumble on in the coming weeks.
However, for a couple of hours on Saturday evening in the Principality Stadium, in a magically mad occasion against the Scots, the Wales team and fans recreated the epic experience that has been on show so often in the past.
And offered hope of what it could look like again in the future.
For the opening hour, Wales finally had some attacking momentum with ball-carriers powering over the gain line.
Front-row duo Rhys Carre and captain Dewi Lake had arguably their most effective games for Wales, while Scarlets centre Eddie James provided the midfield momentum with a series of thundering charges in what could prove a coming-of-age performance.
Then there was Aaron Wainwright. The Dragons talisman was immense for a second successive week, continuing his terrific tournament, despite Wales’ adversity. — Sports ReporterBC Sport
Mathew Masinge