Women's Six Nations: Cunningham worried Wales will be 'left behind again'

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham is contracted up until the next Rugby World Cup

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham says he is worried his newly professional side will be "left behind again".

Cunningham was responding to New Zealand announcing 34 professional contracts as they look to defend their title at the 2025 Rugby World Cup, with more deals to come.

Wales doubled their tally to 24 full-time players this year, but Cunningham would like it to be his full squad.

"The World Cup is 29 months away, sides are getting serious," he said.

"We either want to stay with them or we get left behind again.

"It's a challenge, 24 contracts is good, but you need a squad of 32 minimum and the mix of players within our group, some are experienced, some are very young and need a lot of physical work.

"If you don't get time with them, you can't accelerate that, so it's something that we're continually chipping away at and trying to improve."

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Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Nigel Walker made the women's game a priority when he was appointed performance director in 2021 and was a driving force in getting the first contracts in place at the start of 2022.

Cunningham said he is in constant dialogue with Walker over the programme.

"I wouldn't be doing my job if I don't go and say 'I need this, I need a push on that' because we want to stay with leading teams in the world," Cunningham said.

"New Zealand announced 34 contracts and they have more to come, Ruby Tui is coming back from sevens, such is the standard and depth they've got.

"It's also the training standard; if you can train 15 on 15 on a regular basis, you're going to get better."

Wales sold out Cardiff Arms Park for their game against England last weekend

Cunningham also responded to comments made by England head coach Simon Middleton.

Middleton said the Women's Six Nations cannot "continue in the guise it is" with England and France so far ahead.

Both teams are unbeaten in this year's championship, racking up 315 points between them in the first three rounds.

Middleton said the gap has to be closed and the speed depends on how much the unions get behind their teams.

"He's right, what he says," Cunningham said.

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"I think every governing body and every union is investing in the game differently, so you're going to get discrepancies, simple as that."

But Cunningham said it was not just about how many contracts you give, it is also about infrastructure.

"England have the best club competition therefore they are producing players regularly, their pathway is very good and that is somewhere we are working towards," he said.

Wales will be looking to make their case for more funding stronger when they head out to France and Italy in the final two rounds of the Six Nations.

They play France in Grenoble on Sunday, 23 April before travelling across to Parma to take on the Italians six days later.