
Looking out over a sorry, soggy scene in Rome, an ailing emperor surveyed a once formidable empire now in ruin. Warren Gatland and Wales had arrived in the Italian capital seeking the invigorating fountains of new life; instead, as the rain tumbled down, deeper into the quagmire they slumped.
The end surely draws near for the head coach as another winless Six Nations beckons after hitting a fresh low. Asked on the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast about Gatland’s future, former Wales international James Hook provided a useful summary of the situation. Would Gatland still be the head coach come the 2027 World Cup? No, Hook quickly replied. How about at the start of next year’s Six Nations? No, the 81-capper repeated. What about for the autumn, then?