The new faces who could come into the equation for Six Nations

THE hope that 2026 will be a better year for Welsh rugby than 2025 is one we all hope to be well-founded but actually fear is just misplaced.

- BEN JAMES Rugby writer

Hope for the best, expect the worst. It's bound to be a tricky year to navigate for a number of reasons - on and off the pitch.

Off the pitch, the route to three clubs is still shrouded in mystery. But on it, the Six Nations on the horizon brings the fear of a third consecutive wooden spoon.

It's a terrifying thought, but an all too feasible one. Wales are almost certainly favourites, for lack of a better term, to pick up the unwanted piece of cutlery once more.

Steve Tandy has a task on his hand to turn around results and performances so soon into his new job, with the autumn having been a reminder of the task at hand.

He now starts the selection process in the wake of the festive matches ahead of naming his squad in just a couple of weeks or so.

Wales are in an awfully difficult position. Conventional wisdom suggests that a lot of this current squad aren’t what you would call Test quality.

But is that the case? Or are just some lacking in experience at the highest level? Certainly, getting cap numbers up is a priority for Tandy.

But the other side of that coin when it comes to the squad not being good enough is whether it's the best Wales can currently offer.

In all honesty, it probably is. But are there other players that could perhaps come in to strengthen the squad?

Looking over the games in Newport and Bridgend on New Year's Day, Tandy and his coaching team would have seen some solid performances that might make them think twice ahead of naming their Six Nations squad in a matter of weeks.