Sir Ian McGeechan dubs Welsh regions a 'train wreck' after Euro horror and warns they're 'heading in the wrong direction fast'

Rugby legend Sir Ian McGeechan has spelt out his fears for Welsh rugby after dubbing the regions' performances in Europe this season as 'a train wreck'.

He warns Wales are hurtling backwards 'fast' and says the 'dark times' are creating a 'mood of despondency' here.

The former Lions boss expressed his concerns for the Welsh game as he surveyed a Heineken Cup final between La Rochelle and Leinster which McGeechan feels mirrors what has happened in the Six Nations, with France and Ireland the dominant forces.

He says English clubs are lagging behind, Scottish sides are competitive, Italy are 'always scrapping to avoid being bottom of the pile', but reserves his harshest words for 'a fast-fading Wales.'

Assessing a woeful Euro campaign for the Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff and Dragons, McGeechan writes in a Telegraph column: "If the Scottish sides were consistently competitive, this year’s European competitions were an unmitigated train wreck for the Welsh.

"Not only did two of their three sides in the Champions Cup, Ospreys and Scarlets, fail to win a match, they failed to register a single try bonus or losing bonus point and had some ignominiously hefty defeats while finishing bottom of the two pools.

"Cardiff didn’t win a game either (although they were awarded a controversial walkover against Toulouse) but they at least collected a try bonus and losing bonus point in their home loss to Quins. Cardiff then dropped into the Challenge Cup, where they lost their only match.

"In fact the Challenge Cup was as disastrous for the Welsh as the Champions Cup. The Dragons not only lost every game, but they were well beaten by a Benetton side and were arguably outperformed by hapless and winless Zebre."

In a sombre message,