Steve Hansen’s men proved their is still plenty of fire in the Dragon with their stunning performances against the All Blacks and England at the World Cup.
But they have been brought back down to earth with a bump since returning to Wales.
And instead of coming home to a bright new future they are faced with the same mess they hoped they had left behind.
Cash problems, poor crowds and bitter in-fighting have ensured Wales is no place for World Cup heros with money-hungry clubs in England and France sure to be on alert.
But having returned from the crusades to restore national pride, Shane Williams, Jonathan Thomas and Co are now needed as peacekeepers in their homeland.
“It’s going to be a massive boost for welsh rugby to have these players back because when you start something new you need your top athletes,” said Celtic Warriors coach Lynn Howells.
“We’ve been getting by on a wing and a prayer until now but they did so well at the World Cup that it will be like starting the season all over again.”
Howells knows all about regional rugby’s problems with the Warriors on the verge of being torn apart less than four months after being formed from Pontypridd and Bridgend.
Pontypridd fans are taking legal action against backer Leighton Samuel over the decision to play all the Warriors’ home games in Bridgend.
But Howells has urged the players to ignore the turmoil and help get regional rugby on track.
“The players have got to put all the off-the-field nonesense out of their minds because if they get involved it could be the end of Welsh rugby,” he warned.
“The most important thing for players to think about is playing and not where the Warriors are going to be playing or what Gwent is going to be called. They have to rise above it.
“Many players in the World Cup squad were young but they showed they have a big future in rugby by proving they could play at that level.”
Howells is taking his Warriors region to a training camp at RAF Horton in Middlesex this weekend following the return of 10 players from World Cup duty.
