Gatland's future and Six Nations predicted - the key Welsh rugby questions answered
2024 was a forgettable year in Welsh rugby and one that brought more questions than answers.
In 2025, the hope is some of those outstanding questions will be answered - although you'd hardly hold your breath.
With that in mind, our rugby writers take a look at the burning issues heading into another year of Welsh rugby...
READ MORE: Highest kick in rugby history causes chaos and leaves commentators in disbelief
Where will Wales finish in the Six Nations?
Steffan Thomas: There's no point sugar-coating it because it is going to be another tough campaign for Wales. Wales are stuck in a rut and I worry about the confidence of the squad because losing has become a habit and the speculation surrounding the future of Warren Gatland won't help.
There's two big problems Wales face. The first is a lack of power in the front five in comparison with the likes of France, England and Ireland, while tighthead prop is an issue with Archie Griffin unlikely to figure.
Also, Wales have suffered due to a lack of experience which is partly why they have failed to nail the key moments in games. On the rare occasions Wales struggled in the first Gatland era they had the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Biggar, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton, among others, to drag them out of tricky situations.
There is talent in this Wales squad but not enough experience or leaders. But having said that Gatland will welcome back the likes of Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Josh Adams.
It's hard to see Wales beating France and the key game will be against Italy in Rome in round two. An ever-improving Italy will no doubt view it as their cup final but if injuries are kind to Wales it is a game they can win.
But on current form it is hard to see them overcoming Ireland, Scotland or England. Sadly I think they will find themselves in a wooden spoon dog fight with Italy.
I think they'll finish fifth.
Ben James: When it was announced that Gatland would remain in post, he was challenged by the WRU to achieve success in the Six Nations.
Quite what success looks like is a little hazy. It won't be solely down to results, with other factors like performance to be considered. That's probably just as well, given it's hard to see where victories will come from.
Trips to Paris and Edinburgh, as well as home clashes with Ireland and England, are matches you'd expect Wales to lose right now. Even the likely wooden spoon decider with Italy doesn't fill you with confidence.
Off the back of that opening clash with France, the pressure will already be on in Rome. A week in Nice, as is expected to happen, could do this young Welsh squad the world of good in terms of getting them out of the Welsh rugby goldfish bowl.
But, with home advantage, you fear Italy could repeat last year's victory in Cardiff and condemn Wales to another last-place finish.
Will Warren Gatland be coach in the summer?
ST: That depends on how Wales perform in the Six Nations. WRU CEO Abi Tierney has already confirmed there will be yet another review at the end of the Six Nations so the pressure is on Gatland.
When the question of what success in the Six Nations looks like was put to Tierney in a recent press conference she refused to answer in a bid not to put too much pressure on Gatland. That is fair enough and while Gatland does have credit in the bank from his previous stint as coach there will inevitably be a tipping point if Wales' losing run continues.
Tierney is adamant money will not be a factor in removing Gatland as head coach should the WRU believe that is the right thing to do. Gatland has a relatively young squad and the narrative coming out of the WRU is this is a long-term project where the national team will have to go through short-term pain for long-term gain.
Whether that is indeed the case remains to be seen but international rugby is all about winning and Gatland desperately needs to put a stop to Wales' losing run. Wales' performances need to improve significantly in the Six Nations and if they don't there's a strong chance there'll be a new head coach at the helm next summer.
BJ: No, I don't think he will be. 2024 has been an awful year for the national team and the recent announcement by the WRU felt more like a stay of execution than anything else.
Barring some miraculous turnaround in the Six Nations, it feels like Gatland is likely to depart after the Six Nations.
The presence of a break clause post-Six Nations in Gatland's contract has been played down by the Union, but it's understood to exist. With the short turnaround between the autumn and Six Nations, timing and that pesky break clause feel just as important to Gatland staying as anything else.
How many Wales players will make the Lions tour and who will they be?
ST: I think Jac Morgan will go if he stays fit. The 24-year-old is an outstanding player who shines in a struggling Wales team.
Imagine how good the man from the Amman Valley would be playing in a Lions pack? I bet he'd take his game to the next level.
I hold the same opinion of Dewi Lake but his selection will probably depend on being fit for the Six Nations which is a big if given he's recently undergone surgery on his bicep. Tomos Williams is also a strong contender and would flourish behind a far stronger Lions pack.
I also think it would be foolhardy to completely rule out Josh Adams. The likes of Mack Hansen and Darcy Graham have been mentioned as potential tourists but a fully fit Adams at the peak of his powers is a better wing than both.
Liam Williams, Dafydd Jenkins, Aaron Wainwright and Taulupe Faletau cannot be discounted entirely. But the reality is if Wales as expected struggle during the Six Nations they will have their lowest representation on a Lions tour for 20-odd years.
But I think Morgan, Lake, Williams and Adams are good enough to tour.
BJ: I can give you one definite Welshman in Australia - Ieuan Evans will be there as tour manager. It doesn't seem likely he'll have too many compatriots on the plane with him.
Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, if fit, will go. Tomos Williams is also surely one of the top three scrum-halves in contention.
Aaron Wainwright should be in the mix, but he's facing tough competition in the back-row, with Ben Earl and Caelan Doris likely tourists.
Nicky Smith could be a decent bet, as could Dafydd Jenkins. One of the national newspapers tipped Tom Rogers as a Lions bolter the other day and, at a time when there's seemingly no such thing as a bolter anymore, that is a pretty good one.
The Scarlets wing is aerially strong and looked the part against the Wallabies last month.
Which Welsh club will finish the highest and the lowest in the URC?
ST: The Dragons will finish the lowest because they don't have the strength in depth or the quality of player of the other three Welsh clubs. In terms of the highest I'm going to back Cardiff.
They have had a strong start to the season and while I think there will be an inevitable dip in form at some stage I'm going to back them to squeeze into the United Rugby Championship play-offs. The Scarlets' performances have been a lot better this season but they are falling on the wrong side of the final results which means they will likely miss out on the URC play-offs.
However, I do think they can have a decent run in the Challenge Cup. It has been a difficult season for the Ospreys so far but they will hope their dramatic victory over the Scarlets can kick-start their campaign.
I don't hold out too much hope for Mark Jones' side in the URC but I think another Challenge Cup run is realistic.
BJ: Cardiff, currently sat in third, are well-placed to be Wales' best side in the league this season.
Having been an entertaining outfit last year that often fell into the category of plucky losers, this year has seen Matt Sherratt's side continually find a way of getting over the line - even if they tend to start slow most weeks.
That new-found grittiness should stand them in good stead for the run-in. As for the lowest-placed side, it's surely going to be the Dragons.
Who will be the breakthrough Welsh rugby player of 2025?
ST: Technically he's already broken through but I think Morgan Morse will go from strength to strength now he's returned to full fitness. The 19-year-old has all the raw minerals needed to develop into an international player of the highest quality.
As long as he stays injury free I'm going to back Morse to become a regular in the Ospreys starting XV and to win his first senior cap for Wales.
BJ: Ospreys second-row James Fender, having been injured for much of 2024, seems as likely as any uncapped Welshman to pull on the jersey in the next 12 months - particularly given some of the injuries Wales have in the second-row.
