Wales will look to avoid a third successive clean sweep of Six Nations defeats in next year's tournament [Huw Evans Picture Agency]BBCWed, December 3, 2025 at 8:04 AM UTC·3 min readThe Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) will ask the four professional regions to release players for Wales training periods before next year's Six Nations.
Wales lost three of this year's four autumn internationals, including a record 73-0 defeat by South Africa on the final weekend, while they have not won a Six Nations game since 2023.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSteve Tandy's side begin their 2026 Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on 7 February, with the Wales squad currently due to meet up on 26 January.
Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys have United Rugby Championship and European matches during the next two months.
The WRU wants extra periods set aside for Six Nations preparations, with chair Richard Collier-Keywood saying he has discussed the idea with head coach Tandy and the union's director of rugby and head of elite performance Dave Reddin.
"One of the conversations we've already started with Steve and Dave is what can we do between now and the Six Nations to actually make a difference to these Wales players," said Collier-Keywood.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"We will be asking the regional clubs to actually release the players for a few periods of time between now and then, so Dave and his team can have them."
Collier-Keywood says "part of the problem" Wales face is that after five weeks working together during the autumn internationals, they then spend two months apart.
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"That's really not helpful," he added. "So there's some very simple and practical things that hopefully we can work with the regional clubs on that will make a different to the performance of the Wales national team."
Wales cannot ask for players at English or French clubs to be released.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTandy was without 13 players who play club rugby in England or France for the Springboks hammering because the match was organised by the WRU outside World Rugby's international window.
The WRU will make their request to Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys at a time when they are trying to cut one of the professional sides.
Steve Tandy was appointed Wales head coach on a three-year deal in July having previously been Scotland's defence coach [Huw Evans Picture Agency]Collier-Keywood believes the relationship between the Wales men's squad and the regions has improved since Tandy was named head coach in July.
"I have observed a noticeable difference since Steve's appointment with those clubs," said Collier-Keywood.
"He's really engaged with them. Fair play to the clubs, they've all welcomed him through their doors and there's a huge amount more dialogue."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDespite heavy autumn defeats against Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa and a last-gasp win against Japan, Collier-Keywood believes Tandy has had a positive impact during his first campaign since taking charge of Wales.
"In the president's lounge after the South Africa defeat, [Wales captain] Dewi Lake spoke incredibly positively about his last five weeks in camp," said Collier-Keywood.
"It was his best time in a Welsh jersey is what he actually said. That's massively down to Steve and his coaching crew."
Collier-Keywood did acknowledge the mood changed from the relative positivity of a 52-26 defeat to New Zealand to the despair of the 11-try thrashing dished out by South Africa.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"In the dressing room one of the issues for us is the players were really up after the New Zealand match, " said Collier-Keywood.
"You go down to the dressing room and you chat to them and encourage them.
"Against South Africa, it was obviously a different story."
Wales have lost 21 out of their past 23 internationals, with their only two victories in that run coming against Japan.
They have suffered 11 straight Six Nations defeats since beating Italy in Rome in March 2023.
