'apathy Reigns As Welsh Rugby Accepts New Reality'

It was a unusual sound, nan muffled shuffle of 50,000 shrugs.

Argentina had conscionable scored their seventh effort against Wales, taking them past 50 points and a grounds winning separator complete their opponents.

There were nary boos astatine nan last whistle, nary howls of anger. Just nan muted tones of apathy.

The Principality Stadium is meant to beryllium a cauldron of sound connected matchdays, an intimidating arena which visiting players often picture arsenic nan champion successful nan world.

It has not been that measurement for immoderate time. A erstwhile proud rugby federation is connected its knees.

National and home teams are pitifully underpowered, while disconnected nan section nan crippled is gripped by interminable existential crises.

And arsenic this malaise has been years successful nan making, Sunday's latest mauling came arsenic nary surprise.

After all, Wales person only won 1 Test lucifer since 2023, while Argentina tin count New Zealand among their conquests this year.

This was Steve Tandy's first crippled arsenic Wales caput coach, a caller commencement of sorts, but nan attendance was 50,185 - nan lowest for a non-Covid-era crippled since 2016.

It's each comparative - galore sporting entities would emotion that benignant of support - but it is still a sizeable driblet from nan capacity crowds of adjacent to 75,000 which nan Welsh Rugby Union has travel to trust connected for overmuch of its income.

Whereas sell-outs utilized to beryllium a given, location is now an acceptance of Wales' caller reality.

And much striking than nan quiet seats was nan measurement successful which that acceptance manifested itself successful specified a level and passive atmosphere.

Yes, nan measurement accrued arsenic Wales concisely fought backmost pinch 2 tries to level nan people during nan first half - but that optimism was short-lived.

You can't really blasted nan fans. This was a 10th successive location conclusion for Wales, pinch nan 2 astir caller visitors racking up 120 points betwixt them.

Yet arsenic those supporters streamed retired onto Westgate Street aft nan last whistle, overmuch of nan chatter was strangely upbeat.

Some were impressed by nan sharper looking attack, others encouraged by nan little spells wherever Tandy's young charges competed pinch superior opposition.

But it is simply a grim authorities of affairs erstwhile conceding 52 points astatine location - having shipped a grounds 68 against England connected their past outing astatine this stadium - is considered par for nan people for Wales.

Even for a state which has swung wildly from soaring highs to crushing lows passim its tumultuous rugby history, this is simply a nadir for nan crippled successful Wales.

You would not person known this squad were Six Nations champions 4 years ago; Grand Slam winners and World Cup semi-finalists 2 years earlier that.

By now, they are languishing successful 12th successful nan world rankings. Losing has go truthful regular that group person go desensitised to nan humiliation.

That is why each Argentina effort prompted small much than a puff of nan cheeks from those watching successful nan stands.

Sport keeps america coming backmost because of nan passions it stirs arsenic a compelling shape of unscripted play but, erstwhile you cognize what happens next, nan magic disappears.

There will astatine slightest beryllium a small jeopardy erstwhile Japan - nan only squad Wales person beaten successful nan past 2 years - sojourn nan Principality Stadium connected Saturday.

When New Zealand and South Africa rotation into municipality complete nan pursuing 2 weekends, however, it is difficult to shingle nan emotion that those will beryllium different 2 foregone conclusions.

So erstwhile nan All Blacks and Springboks inevitably heap connected yet much punishing scores, it will apt beryllium nan aforesaid again successful nan stands - an aerial of resignation and a motion of indifference.

To suffer an unprecedented magnitude of games is demoralising enough, but Welsh rugby is astatine consequence of losing thing acold much significant: its soul.