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Wales are Six Nations champions after France fell short against Scotland; now they just need to have that trophy in their hands.
The loss in Paris last week meant they were denied a trophy presentation on the pitch, which, despite the absence of fans, would at least have felt relatively normal.
Instead, the trophy-lifting will now take place behind closed doors, even away from the eyes of the media, who have been fortunate enough to attend matches in recent months while fans remain locked in.
Wales are expected to receive the trophy at their training base sometime tomorrow.
Although it is unlikely that there will be a presentation, as such, due to the coronavirus. Captain Alun Wyn Jones is more likely to simply pick up the trophy from a table and hold it up alongside some of his teammates for a solo photographer and videographer to take photos.
The Welsh Rugby Union will then distribute photos and videos of the trophy lifting.
However, the entire squad from Wales will not be present.
That’s because Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints), Will Rowlands (Wasps) and Callum Sheedy (Bristol) are in action for their club team tomorrow.
Taulupe Faletau has been rested by Bath so he may be present, and Louis Rees-Zammit played for Gloucester tonight so he may be present as well.
Tomas Francis didn’t play for the Exeter Chiefs tonight so he could be there too.
Receiving the trophy a week after your last game and at your team’s hotel is far from being an ideal setting, but it is a sign of the times in which we live.
England endured a similar trophy presentation when they were finally crowned 2020 Six Nations champions last fall.
(Image: Huw Evans Photography Agency)
Speaking on the House of Rugby podcast this week, center Jonathan Davies described not receiving the trophy on the court in Paris as a ‘hammer blow’.
“The moment you want is to lift the trophy with the boys. Those are the memories you will remember, not the games, ”Davies said.
“Not having that was a real blow to us.”
The Wales players are believed to have missed tonight’s France-Scotland game together and watched it at home with their families.
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