Holmes sees progress as Wales look to next generation

Defence coach Tyrone Holmes insists there are encouraging signs beneath the surface despite Wales finishing bottom of the Women's Six Nations for a third consecutive year.

Wales lost all five matches during the championship and conceded 31 tries, but Holmes believes improvements are beginning to emerge under the new coaching team led by Sean Lynn.

Attention has now turned to Wales' uncapped fixture against the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on 27 June, with the return of influential back-row Alex Callender providing a timely boost after she missed the Six Nations because of injury.

The match will also offer an opportunity to assess the next generation, with 14 uncapped players included in Lynn's 33-player training squad.

While results failed to improve during the Six Nations, Holmes says the foundations are being laid for future success.

"It was difficult for the group," said Holmes, who joined Wales as a full-time defence coach before the campaign.

"There were three new coaches, some new faces in the squad, new processes to implement and new ways in which we're wanting to play.

"On review, we could see a lot of that stuff being implemented and pushing us forward.

"Unfortunately, it's not reflected on the scoreboard just yet."

Despite Wales' defensive record, Holmes says statistics show evidence of progress.

"We became the second most effective tackling team in the competition and we created the second slowest ball in the competition," he said.

"These are two things we went hard after in terms of up-skilling us in the contact area and the numbers showed that.

"Unfortunately, there are still areas where we aren't good enough. We still miss too many one-on-one tackles and need to become more effective in wider spaces."

Holmes says fatigue proved a major factor behind many of Wales' defensive lapses.

"A lot of these missed tackles are coming in the second half," he said.

"We've got enough in the tank to push teams for 30, 35, 40 minutes. It's the second 40 we need to develop so we can sustain that pressure.

"When we start to fatigue, we start to make errors on both sides of the ball. That's where the missed tackles are coming in."

The Barbarians fixture forms part of Wales' preparations for the WXV later this year and provides a chance to examine emerging talent from the Celtic Challenge and age-grade pathway.

Wing Jasmine Joyce, one of Wales' most experienced players, believes the talent coming through the pathway is among the most exciting she has seen during her international career.

"The talent coming through is an actual joke," said Joyce.

"I look at some of the girls and think, 'Oh my God, can you step like that? Are you that fast?'.

"The energy they bring into camp and into training is exactly what we need.

"The girls coming in just have fight and want, and it's brilliant to see."

Wales will later this month face a Barbarians side that already includes former Wales captain Carys Phillips and New Zealand World Cup winner Ruby Tui, with Holmes expecting a stern test.

"The Barbarians are legendary for coming up with crazy moves and playing unstructured rugby," he said.

"For us, being heavily process-driven, it's important we use this game as a stepping stone into WXV."

While Wales remain under pressure to improve results having suffered nine straight international defeats, Holmes insists progress cannot be measured solely by the scoreboard.

"You want to be winning, that's how everyone views success," he said.

"But we need to start learning to win if we want to start performing in a Six Nations and at a World Cup.

"This is a great opportunity to start developing those habits."