Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

So that’s it for international rugby in 2024 – it’s a clean sweep of autumn defeats, with Fiji, Australia and South Africa all tasting victory in Cardiff.

Wales have hit an all-time low with 12 successive losses and finished the calendar year winless for the first time since 1937.

Not the kind of records Welsh rugby wants to be breaking.

But is that it for Warren Gatland?

He’s made it clear he wants to stay as head coach and has asked for more time to progress his young side.

Whether he will be given that depends on the Welsh Rugby Union, with an annual general meeting being held tomorrow that could see some frank views aired.

I guess time will tell.

Thanks for joining us tonight. See you in 2025, and did I mention the Six Nations was just 10 weeks away?

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has highlighted what Welsh rugby must do to secure its future.

"It's amazing what a difference 12 months can do after the World Cup," said Gatland.

"You lose all those caps and experience, it has been challenging. I think for us, from a [Welsh Rugby] Union's perspective, there needs to be a remit with the regions.

"There needs to be some change. I've spoken in board meetings about us being courageous and bold with decisions to improve the game.

"The pathways and under-20s programme is the lifeblood of the game.

"Since we disbanded the national academy, we're probably a reflection of how the under-20s programme hasn't been as successful.

"There's things to put in place. There needs to be an agreement between the Union and regions to affect positive change.

"It'll take time. It won't happen overnight but I came away from today thinking, if these players can learn there's some hope."

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says his wife had asked him this morning whether he considered taking on a director of rugby type role.

"There are a number of things that hopefully have been talked about," said Gatland.

"The overall strategy and the deal with the [four Welsh] regions. For a long time, there have been issues within the game.

"The success has papered over the cracks.

"What I saw today from this group of young men and players, it gave me a lot of hope that there's an opportunity to improve and get better for the Six Nations."

Wales head coach Warren Gatland says he has not offered his resignation this time around like he had done at the end of the Six Nations.

"I think the Six Nations is different, that's a competition," said Gatland.

"Traditionally, the autumn is used for development.

"I understand how important the Six Nations is to the Welsh Rugby Union from a results and finance point of view.

"I was genuine about that. You probably approach the autumn a bit differently."

Warren Gatland told TNT Sports: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.

"The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that collectively with the regions we work together.

"I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view, we will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months so when they turn up for the Six Nations they're ready to go from day one."

Wales head coach Warren Gatland is again asked about his future in the post-match press conference:

"I wouldn't be human if I didn't say it hasn't been challenging and tough. We've questioned things we've done, you do that if you're winning too.

"It's seeing what happens over the next few days, chatting with the powers that be and family too.

"The negativity affects you. We've got a good group of men working hard, it feels like we're only going to get better.

"I feel like I'm in a no-win situation when I answer these questions. I do definitely want to be here and it's about letting the dust settle."

Siwan Lillicrap
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

The southern hemisphere teams have been relentless and we have seen it from that South Africa game, the first of this autumn series through to the final game where they are phenomenal.

The All Blacks and Australia have come over here and grown game upon game, having outstanding games against England and Wales.

The southern hemisphere is dominating at the moment and how does the northern hemisphere start to get a bit of a foothold and break them down?

Warren Gatland told TNT Sports: "It's been challenging, the last couple of weeks, I am only human and when you get a significant amount of negativity it is tough.

"I must say that the amount of people that have contacted me in the last couple of weeks, coaches, players, fans, even people from the media have been wishing me all the best, that's made a huge difference to me and I really appreciate that.

"I don't think people realise how much that has meant to me."

James Hook
Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

It definitely starts with school rugby, you look at Ireland and they have private schools that put so much emphasis on rugby it's almost like academy rugby from the age of 13 or 14, but we haven't got that in Wales.

We probably need to invest in school rugby and when it comes to academies they are on a shoe-string budget at the moment.

We've got our best players in academies in Wales and when English clubs get a sniff of them they are gone because they can offer more money and nutrition and education these athletes want.

That's why we are losing these players.

Siwan Lillicrap
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

Warren Gatland has come in to try and fix and it's been a tough fix.

Has it been a too big of a job potentially?

He did well short term turning things around and getting to the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup and maybe should've beaten Argentina in that quarter-finals.

And then to come off the back... of the World Cup with key players retiring has been a tough 12 months.

James Hook
Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

Wales looked lost and overpowered today and all out of options for the whole of the Autumn Internationals and out of ideas.

But we don't know the best combinations and looking from the outside we just need to freshen things up a little bit.

I know these players are young but there are still some talented players in there and we're probably not getting the best out of these players.

Image source, PA Media

Wales head coach Warren Gatland told TNT Sports: "It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say.

"You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.

"Let's just see what happens over the next few days.

On the game itself, Gatland added: "With a young group of players, I think they'll learn a massive amount from today's game against the world champions and hopefully there's a step up next time when they play at this level with the intensity and physicality that a team like South Africa bring."

Siwan Lillicrap
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

It's tough because we can't go through another 12 months of doing what we've just done in the last 12 months.

We're a proud rugby nation and rugby has always been in our heritage and in our blood here, and no one wants to see this team do badly like this.

The reality is we want to pack out the stadium and we don't have enough revenue coming in from the game to develop the Welsh game.

If we carry on this trajectory and there is less money in the game, will we be able to invest in the right areas to get better?

Image source, Getty Images

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi told TNT: "It's been a really good tour. It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won but there was so much we could have done better.

"The results are important but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.

"We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.

"The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things.

"Some of them are getting their first few caps, it takes time to build. As long as they keep working hard and keep believing things will change, next year they will be a little bit more experienced and can give a bit more.

"Things can take time. I'm so grateful for the people of Wales who still came out to support them, because this is a proud rugby nation just like South Africa.

"We have so much respect for the Welsh, that's why we had our best team on the field and we gave everything. I have no doubt that Wales will pick it up."

James Hook
Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

You look at Gatland's first reign and you could name the 15 or even 23 first-choice players in the squad and Gatland hit the nail on the head there.

Cam Winnett played well against Fiji and he's not selected today.

Gareth Anscombe was brought back for experience and he's not selected today.

Aaron Wainwright was one of our best players last autumn and he's not selected today.

So I don't think Warren Gatland knows our best players.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Wales captain Dewi Lake told TNT Sports: "They are double world champions, that's not for no reason.

"I think we showed a lot of heart and a lot of character in parts of that game.

"Thank you to all the fans for coming out and still supporting.

"We're probably just not there yet as a group, discipline in areas has cost us again, they are a dangerous team when they get into that 22 and are tough to stop when they're rolling onto the ball.

"I can't question the effort, that's for us to go and look at and work on.

"We have to keep the faith, the second we lose our faith in ourselves then it's pointless us stepping on the field, we can definitely see a light at the end of the tunnel."

Gareth Rhys Owen
BBC Radio Wales commentator

It's very interesting to ask where those young men like Mackenzie Martin, Ioan Lloyd or Cam Winnett are now?

Warren Gatland was brave in saying he was going to develop these young players at the beginning of the championship and all of a sudden they are not there?

They're not there because that's what under-20s is for, to see if some players will make it and some will not. But Warren Gatland used the Six Nations to do that and he failed in not getting a result and since then has been chasing his tail.

The big Gatland project of budding new players is looking slightly muddled as he's now going back and bringing the likes of Gareth Anscombe in to steady the ship, but that didn't work.

What happens in this Six Nations now?

Siwan Lillicrap
Former Wales captain on BBC Radio Wales

We couldn't disrupt any of the Springboks ball at set-piece otherwise it would've been a penalty and it was always going to be a tough time.

There was some huge defensive efforts by some of those individuals out there today putting their bodies on the line and working and defending for 80 minutes.

But ultimately if we can't reap the rewards of the work rate then it's going to be a really tough day and I feel for those boys. It's tough.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

James Hook
Former Wales fly-half on BBC Radio Wales

It hasn't been a great year for Wales, the stats are there to see. Wales didn't really get out of second gear and made a lot of errors.

South Africa suffocated Wales in the set-piece scrum but the defensive line speed was too much and didn't give Wales an inch in attack, which resulted in Wales just kicking the ball away.

As Siwan has just said, looking at the stats, it could have been far worse for Wales.

South Africa made 618m compared to Wales' 84m and Wales were forced into making 215 tackles compared to South Africa's 93.