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Sam Warburton, the captain of the Wales Rugby Team is extremely adamant that the fact that the reigning Six Nations Grand Slam champions have lost each of their last seven tests will have very little significance when they embark on the defense of their title against Ireland on the 2^nd of February at home. Speaking at the launch of the tournament, the Welsh skipper stated that it is always a great feeling to go into a tournament as the defending champions adding that the entire team can get a lot of confidence from that tag.

Wales is the only team in the tournament where rugby is the sport for winter rather than football has had a string of disappointing results over the last couple of months, losing narrowly in each and every one of their games away from home, as well as a home loss to Australia apart from two morale sapping losses to the likes of Samoa and Argentina.

The Wales Rugby Team suffered a 3-0 series whitewash Down Under and when they were very close to beating The Wallabies at home, they conceded a try with the very last play of the game to go down 12-14.  But Warburton insisted that the team did not deserve their loss at the hands of Australia, adding that they played decent enough before going on to state the entire team performed on that day except in the last minute when the entire defense stood still.

And the skipper of the Wales Rugby Team insisted that it was their performance that made it difficult to accept the defeat and it was a match that they should have won with ease. But he stated that the situation is not as bad as people think and it is recoverable with a bit of hard work.

In what must be one of the most peripatetic years in terms of rugby success, Wales have enjoyed the glory of a Six Nations grand slam and suffered the shame of a winless autumn series.

The loss of Warren Gatland temporarily to the services of the upcoming Lions Tour further deepens the sense of pessimism surrounding the nation’s chances of repeating their feat of last year, particularly given the promising form of their rivals.

Defeats against Argentina and Samoa cost them their place as in tier 2 of seeding for the world cup, meaning that they will now have to beat one of Australia or England to have any chance of making the quarter-finals.

However, supporters shouldn’t be regarding this year’s competition with the gloom some are encouraging; key players such as Sam Warburton, the team’s captain, Adam Jones and Six Nations man-of-the-tournament Dan Lydiate all missed the autumn tests but should be back in time for the start of the tournament, which the team would hope might make them rediscover their old rhythm.

Furthermore, of their opponents, only France have demonstrated continual class. While England may have defeated New Zealand, they have showed inconsistency throughout the year and Wales will be hoping the team which lost to Australia turns up instead. Until Ireland’s victory against Argentina, their poor results had left them languishing in tier 3 for the World Cup group stages. If Scotland and Italy are causing Wales problems, then they shouldn’t even consider themselves grand slam contenders.

Whatever the team’s aspirations, their first match against Ireland is huge. They won in the last-minute of the game in the preceding year, and it looks as though this fixture will end with a similar margin of victory.