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Wayne Pivac accepts that all Wales can do is “sit back and watch” as their Guinness Six Nations title fate is decided.
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Wales’ Grand Slam hopes were destroyed by France in the final play of an epic Paris encounter, losing 32-30 after being reduced to 13 players when Taulupe Faletau and Liam Williams were sin-binned 60 seconds apart.
And a sixth Six Nations crown for Wales now hinges on what happens in next Friday’s game between France and Scotland.
The Stade de France clash, delayed because of a coronavirus outbreak in Les Bleus’ camp last month, will see the hosts start as overwhelming favourites.
They need a bonus-point victory and winning margin of 21 points or more to pip Wales to the post.
I can't believe what I just witnessed ? pic.twitter.com/k4ZhrbtCct
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 20, 2021
If France win in bonus-point fashion and take the match by exactly 20 points, it will come down to tournament try-count between Les Bleus and Wales. Anything less – or Scotland win or draw – and Pivac’s men prevail.
Wales have currently scored five tries more than France, and should overall points totals, the countries’ points differences and try-counts finish level, then this season’s Six Nations title will be shared.
Pivac’s team have scored more tries and points than in any other Six Nations campaign, yet they must now hope that France come up short.
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And the odds are not favourable for Wales, given that France have beaten Scotland in all ten previous Six Nations meetings at the Stade de France.
This was the first time in the tournament's history that a Wales' side with four wins going into the final game hadn't completed a #sixnations Grand Slam
Credit: @SixNationsRugby #FRAvWAL pic.twitter.com/ywu3Q7ma2s
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 20, 2021
“It is just desperately frustrating,” Wales head coach Pivac said.
“The players got so close and yet so far. It is a tough time for them.
“We have to be proud of the performance, proud of the effort they have put in throughout the championship, and now we go away and wait to see the outcome of next Friday’s game.
“To go from potentially a Grand Slam performance to sitting back and waiting is frustrating, but there is nothing we can do now except sit back and watch that game.”
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REF WATCH: Eye-contact, repeat offenders, yellows, a red and many, many tries 'held up'. France versus Wales was a refereeing epic, a perfect test of rising star Luke Pearce.
But one big call was incorrect, writes Paul Smith ???https://t.co/CS14wLy6pH
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 21, 2021
France, having seen lock Paul Willemse sent off 11 minutes from time for making contact with the eye area of Wales prop Wyn Jones, prevailed through full-back Brice Dulin’s stoppage-time try.
It was Wales’ first defeat in a Six Nations Grand Slam game, having won their previous four in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2019.
Wales had matched France try for try until that point, with fly-half Dan Biggar, flanker Josh Navidi and wing Josh Adams touching down during an incident-packed blockbuster.
Biggar also kicked 15 points, yet Wales were ultimately eclipsed as the clock ticked past 11pm in Paris when Dulin scored after clinically capitalising on France’s one-man advantage.
Sir Clive has gone for a real hipster pick at No.8: https://t.co/PnhzGOoKgb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 21, 2021
Navidi said: “It just didn’t go our way, but it has been a good campaign for us from the autumn (Autumn Nations Cup) to the Six Nations, and how many points we scored in this campaign has been good.
“It was a shame we couldn’t finish it with a win and see it off, but fingers crossed that next Friday goes our way.
“The autumn wasn’t that great, but we came into this Six Nations knowing what we wanted to achieve. We said from the start that we have the squad to do it, and we built on it every week.
“In the last 20 minutes we were under the pump, and it is only going to go one way if we are in our own half, defending and giving away penalties.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments