Verdict: could do *much* better!
Could've, Should've...didn't. Could've beaten France (26-20 with Wales scoring a try in the dying minute and giving away two tries). Should've beaten England (30-17 with Wales giving away another try at Twickenham). They were lucky to beat Scotland and thank god they returned to form against Italy. Thank God because Wales has a testing 9 months ahead with 3 tests against the All Blacks, two tests against South Africa home and away, and tests against Fiji and Australia.
When I looked at the final table one thing jumped out at me: Wales scored the most points in the six nations, bar first-placed France; and conceded the most bar last-placed Italy. A prolific attack held back by a pourous defence. In the their day they can beat almost anyone, and so certainly shouldn't have finished 4th behind England!
What potential though. There's no debate that Wales has one of the best back lines in international rugby - peppered with British Lions and living Welsh Legends: Lee Byrne, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Tom Shanklin and James Hook with two great scrum halves to chose from: Mike Philips and Dwayne Peel. This championship Full Back Stepehen Jones surpassed Neil Jenkins as the greatest Welsh point scorer and Shane Williams moved past Gareth Edwards as the leading Welsh Try Scorer. Today's Welsh players are superceding the great players of the Seventies.
Previous Welsh sides have traditionally been strong in the backs but weak up front. Today there is a sensational pack as well: Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Ryan Jones and the veteran Martyn Williams. (In fact, as my father astutely pointed out, the return of Mike Philips and Gethin Jenkins was palpable in the boost it brought.) The new forwards - Warburton, Charteris and Dradley Davies - are extremely promising as well. The coaching team remain strong: Warren Gatland is a miracle-worker with a grand Slam in his first 3 months in the job in 2008, supported by Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley and of course Neil Jenkins himself as kicking coach. No one can deny its a quality outfit.
So why aren't they performing? Fitness and attitude has to be the question mark, not talent. The 2007 World Cup saw Wales fail to come out and play in any of the first halves of their games, turning on their magic only when it was already too late - notably against Australia and fatally Fiji. This tournament was very reminiscent of that. The match against Italy was the only one in which Wales led in the first half. You just can't succeed at this level if you only play for 40 minutes.
So come on Wales, pull your finger out!
What is sad is that with the exception of France, all four home nations were woefully below par and really need to raise their game if any of them expect to make it to even the last eight in New Zealand next year. With only just over a year to go, British Rugby needs to raise its game significantly!