Sean Lynn insists Wales are closing the gap on the world’s top teams despite another heavy defeat.
Lynn’s wait for a Six Nations victory continues after Cardiff lost 38-7 to France.
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The odds of seven consecutive Champions League defeats turning into eight in a row look very high as they prepare to face England next.
Even the most optimistic of Wales fans will be worried about what the consequences could be after the world champions and reigning Six Nations champions were thrashed 84-7 by Scotland at Ashton Gate next Saturday.
“I watched the first 10 minutes of that game in the hotel [Wales’ match]. England have a lot of firepower, don’t they? “Lynn said.
“I watched them play against Ireland last week as well and you could see they were very quick with Jesse Breach and Ellie Kildoon at the back.
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“The focus has to be on us, how we adjust our flow offensively and defensively.”
Wales have lost 11 of their last 12 Test matches and while few expected them to beat France, they did upset the visitors at the Arms Park.
The pressure in the frontcourt resulted in the blue team being issued two yellow cards very quickly, both sides taking penalty kicks, and making many unusual mistakes.
Although Wales were still level with France 7-7 at half-time, their failure to make the most of it against 13 men in nine minutes was already a story.
They also struggled to contain the inevitable rally, with France taking control of the game with three shots on goal just 14 minutes into the second half.
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“We attempted 247 tackles, which was a huge number, and it really took a toll,” Lynn said.
“We have to keep the ball more. It was the same against Scotland, we were pressing the ball.
“The set pieces were good in the first half, but not in the second half. We need to be more consistent in those areas.”
Lynn insists his side are closing the gap on the leading nations.
“We were tied at half-time against the top four teams and I thought the final scoreline was brutal,” he added.
“It’s just about making sure we get better in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half and the bench needs to have the impact that France had.”
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“Size doesn’t matter”
Wales certainly has the commitment, the discipline, the saving tackles and the physicality.
But there are limitations, especially in the kicking game, where this young team still battles hard to figure things out on the field and misses tackles as tired, lighter bodies slip off the mighty blue jerseys.
Captain Katt Williams said given the shortfall in the Wales squad, they were developing a game plan designed around speed of thought and action.
“Size doesn’t matter. If you’re one on one we can fight with grit and effort, but as a country we need to be better technically and tactically [than opponents],” she said.
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“We’re good at certain things but if we’re not, when you play a team like France you know the weight is going to win.
“We know this. We’re not going to suddenly gain 20 kilograms so [technique and tactics] This is where we focus our efforts and improvements. “
Wales will need to improve quickly when they face the full pressure of being world champions next week.
