These World Cup warmup games mean nothing, of course, but it does not stop us searching for significance. No one had to look very hard here. Wales could have gone to No 1 in the world rankings with a win and extended their record unbeaten run to 15. And they picked a team to suggest these were landmarks that meant something to them. Alas, either they did not mean enough, or Wales are not ready to claim them.
The latter, surely. They have moved on to the shoulder of New Zealand at the top of the rankings courtesy of their most recent grand slam, an achievement not to be sniffed at – but, as grand slams go, it was hardly convincing, yielding them as many tries, 10, as Italy, the wooden-spooners. They developed that happy knack of winning – or forgetting how to lose, as Warren Gatland memorably put it. Here they were finally issued with a reminder.
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