Six Nations: Wales receive the Wooden Spoon – but what is it?

Wales have lost against Italy in the final game of the 2024 Six Nations Championship, meaning they will receive the Wooden Spoon for the first time in 21 years.

But what is the history behind the rugby tournament’s “prize” that no team wants to win?

Wooden Spoon vs Whitewash

Let’s start by correcting the fake news regarding the Six Nations. It’s the team that finishes at the bottom of the table that claims the Wooden Spoon, not the team that loses all its games in the competition.

Whitewash is the term for losing all five games, but the reality facing Wales this weekend is that there is a possibility of claiming both undesirable titles.

Created in Cambridge, coined in Wales

Its history actually dates back to the University of Cambridge in the 19th Century. The spoon was awarded to the unfortunate student who received the lowest grade in a mathematics exam.

The last spoon was claimed in 1909 by a student by the name of Cuthbert Lempriere Holthouse. That spoon measured more than two metres (6.5ft) and is still on display at an exhibition to this day.

But the term was coined in a rugby context by a sport journalist some 10 years earlier in a South Wales Daily Post article in 1894, in which it was claimed that the battle between Wales and Ireland would decide the fate of the Wooden Spoon.

The term is now used consistently across a number of sports in the southern hemisphere. Although there is no specific trophy presented, it is still an honour to avoid it.

The players of the Western Suburbs club, Queensland, with a Wooden Spoon

Wales’ Wooden Spoon woes

Before this year’s tournament, Wales had claimed the spoon eight times and, on the whole, the dates reflect difficult periods in rugby’s history.

The first two were won in 1938 and 1949 when the country was still suffering from the after-effects of the great wars. Wales were again awarded it twice in the sixties (’64 and ’68) on the eve of the second golden period of Welsh rugby in the seventies.

Wales also finished last four times between 1990 and 2003 (’90, ’93, ’96, ’03).

The last ‘red spoon’

There are obvious comparisons between Wales’ current squad and Steve Hansen’s in 2003. Then, Hansen was heavily criticised for insisting that his priority was performances, not results.

His intention was to develop a series of players who would be able to compete at the highest level, even if that meant short-term losses.

History shows that it paid off as the team made an impression in the World Cup that year.

Then, two seasons later – and under the leadership of Mike Ruddock – Wales claimed a Grand Slam for the first time in a generation.

Steve Hansen faces questions from reporters during the Six Nations championship in 2003

A new addition to the cutlery draw?

After losing to Italy on Saturday afternoon, Wales received the spoon again – and were whitewashed for the first time in 21 years.

But it was still possible Wales would have finished last even if they had managed to beat the Italians.

If the competition used the old system of designating points, Warren Gatland’s team’s hopes of avoiding sitting at the bottom of the table would have already been over before kick off as Italy had already secured a victory and a draw in the championship.

But the existence of bonus points had given a glimmer of hope to the Welsh.

Since Italy joined the Six Nations championship they have received the Wooden Spoon 18 times

Does disaster loom?

Like his predecessor Steve Hansen, Warren Gatland has tried his best to calm the expectations of this championship.

His narrative is that this is the year to re-ignite the game in Wales, to develop the young squad and to ignore the results to some extent.

It is fair to say, so far, that the fans have sympathised with this mentality.

But will the public continue to be so patient with another Wooden Spoon in the collection?