Wales coach removed one week before Six Nations kicks off

Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!

Howley, a familiar face from Gatland’s first golden era, replaces Alex King in the role.

King, 50, was appointed as Wales' attack coach in December 2022 after Stephen Jones' departure. Over two Six Nations campaigns and the 2023 Rugby World Cup—where Wales reached the quarter-finals—King held the reins of the Welsh attack.

However, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has not provided an official explanation for his absence in the upcoming tournament, leaving speculation around the sudden reshuffle.

Howley, 54, returned to the Wales setup in December 2023 as a technical coach, following a ban for betting breaches. Now back in a prominent role, he brings a wealth of experience, having been part of three Grand Slam-winning campaigns and a fourth Six Nations title during Gatland's first stint. He also toured with the British and Irish Lions as attack coach on three occasions.

Gatland has shaken things up further, bringing in scrum guru Adam Jones on secondment from Harlequins. Meanwhile, psychology and performance expert Andy McCann has joined the setup, alongside existing staff Mike Forshaw (defence coach) and Neil Jenkins (skills coach).

Wales head into the 2025 Six Nations on the back of a record-breaking 12-game losing streak since their 2023 World Cup exit. The pressure is mounting on Gatland as his side face a daunting opener against France in Paris on Friday, 31 January (20:15 GMT).

Can Howley’s return spark a turnaround for Wales? Or will Gatland's revamped coaching team struggle to find a winning formula? Only time will tell.

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Here’s a look at four players The Telegraph has called out, and what RUCK.co.uk makes of it.

They wrote: 

RUCK view: Earl was one of England’s standout players over the past year, but his recent dip in form could cost him. Once untouchable in Borthwick’s plans, he now looks dangerously close to losing his starting spot. He’ll need a big showing in the lead-up to the tournament to stave off competition.

They wrote: "Returning from the knee injury he sustained during England’s preparations for the autumn, Chessum had 54 minutes against Toulouse. This was his first outing since October and, like most of his Leicester colleagues, he spent most of the time chasing shadows."

RUCK view: Throwing Chessum back into the England squad fresh off a serious injury is a risk that could backfire. He’ll need time to regain match sharpness, and anything less than 100% could leave England vulnerable in the engine room. Leicester’s struggles won’t be helping his confidence either.

They said: "Six games at fly-half for Exeter, two of which came against Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles and saw his side ship an absurd total of 133 points, constitute Slade’s body of work since an autumn in which he started all four Tests."

RUCK view: Slade as a fly-half experiment? It’s not working. Exeter’s defensive woes and his patchy performances in the playmaker role make that 6/10 look overly generous. He’s a class act at his best, but right now, he looks far from it.

They said: "Teething pains at the scrum are inevitable for promising young props and a difficult autumn for England has bled into club action for Baxter, who turns 23 next month."

RUCK view: Following in Joe Marler’s footsteps is no easy task, and Baxter’s growing pains at the set-piece are showing. He’s undoubtedly a talent for the future, but for now, the step up to Test rugby seems to have knocked his confidence. England fans will hope he develops quickly, or risk seeing the scrum as an area of weakness.

England’s Six Nations campaign looks to be starting on shaky ground, with too many key players either battling poor form or returning from injury. For Borthwick and Itoje, it’s all about finding the balance – and fast. The tournament opener isn’t the time for trial and error.

Can you identify how many of the top 20 most-capped England rugby players you can name?

We've supplied the total number of caps and their respective playing positions for each player. Your task is simply to complete their surnames.

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