Wales head coach Rowland Phillips says his team are going in the right direction as the start of the Women’s Six Nations looms on the horizon.
Since Phillips took over in 2016, Wales have won all four of their games with their latest success seeing them claim an impressive 22-14 victory over Ireland.
That win in Donnybrook followed an earlier 39-0 success over Spain and while he’s not getting carried away, Phillips believes his team are showing promising signs of progress.
Wales travel to Italy for their Six Nations opener a week on Saturday, looking to improve on last season’s fourth-placed finish.
“We have a lot of work to do and things to develop and we are certainly doing that,” said Phillips, who confirmed his 32-player squad this week.
“Results are a bonus on top of that. We have a lot of things we need to improve, but we are going in the right direction and results are going our way. We have the natural ability to play rugby, but we have had to develop more control and discipline in certain areas.”
Wales’ latest performance saw them take on an Irish side who are fifth in World Rugby’s rankings. It was another step in the right direction at the start of a year which will culminate with this summer’s World Cup.
Phillips added: “What I got out of the game with Ireland was that we were under so much pressure in that first 25 minutes. We went 14-0 down, but the way the girls adapted was outstanding and that is a big positive for me. At no point did their heads drop, they stuck to the task and we got what we deserved.
“The girls are professional people, they wear the shirt with pride. Our responsibility as coaches is to keep pushing them.”
After facing a trip to Italy, Wales Women host England at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, their new venue for all home internationals.
Carys Phillips will captain the team for both of those matches, leading a squad which boasts plenty of experience in the likes of forward Rachel Taylor and Shona Powell-Hughes. Add in dangerous backs Jasmine Joyce and Dyddgu Hywel and it’s potentially an exciting mix going into another major tournament.
“Carys knows what she has to do like all the other players – they have to reach certain standards on and off the pitch,” Phillips added.
“Selection with such a strong squad is never straight forward and certainly form is a big part of it. She is one of the key players and as captain she has responsibilities as well.
“Our biggest challenge is the next game. We have to focus on Italy and then pick up England after that. That is how the process will work, I know the ability and quality of this group.
“The key thing for us is to keep our feet on the ground and work hard and just not look too far ahead.”