'People higher up than myself make the decisions you are alluding to'
Wayne Pivac believes that Wales must “stay strong” and show belief after their Guinness Six Nations campaign ended in shambolic fashion.
A year on from winning the title, Wales collapsed at home to wooden spoonists Italy.
It was their first loss in Cardiff to the Azzurri, who had not won a Six Nations game in their previous 36 attempts across a demoralising seven-year period.
Although head coach Pivac has credit in the bank following last season’s title triumph, he has now seen Wales lose 15 of 27 Tests since he succeeded Warren Gatland following the 2019 World Cup.
Eighteen months before rugby union’s next global spectacular, Pivac finds himself addressing a second fifth-placed finish from his three Six Nations campaigns.
What should have been a day of celebration in the Cardiff sunshine for captain Dan Biggar and lock Alun Wyn Jones, who won their 100th and 150th Wales caps, respectively, imploded spectacularly as Italy claimed a stunning 22-21 victory.
Biggar said immediately after the game that it had been “probably the last chance for a lot of players,” and life is not about to get any easier, with Wales’ next three Tests being away from home against world champions South Africa in July.
“It is a backward step – there is no doubt about that, and there is no hiding from that,” Pivac said.
“It is fine margins, but we have to stay strong and believe in what we are doing. This group does that, and we believe in the players that we have.
“We will review the whole competition, look at the positives and negatives and make sure we build from this campaign. We have to, because if we don’t, it has been a waste of time.”
Pivac’s future will inevitably be debated on Welsh rugby’s intense public platform, and he added: “They are entitled to their view.
“There are people in positions higher up than myself that make the decisions you are alluding to. Look, I am not bothered by that.
“There is always emotion, and we wouldn’t be playing a game of rugby if there wasn’t a lot of emotion involved.
“You have to take a big, deep breath, count to 10, sleep on it, let those emotions subside and in the cold light of day reflect and look at the performance, break it down piece by piece.
“We didn’t play to our potential, we believe, so we have to find out why that was.”
Although the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi and Taulupe Faletau returned from injuries at various stages of the Six Nations, Pivac did not have their fellow British and Irish Lions George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Ken Owens and Justin Tipuric for the entire tournament.
And while those absences must be viewed as a mitigating factor, the reality is that Wales lost four games out of five, scored just eight tries and performed only in patches.
“If people look at the squad we had in the Six Nations last year and what was missing, there are a few to come back,” Pivac said.
“We believe we have the nucleus of a group now which is building good depth, we add to that with a few boys coming back and we feel we are in a strong position.
“We’ve had a good look at a number of players over the last couple of seasons. What we would like now is to have a period of time where we don’t have too many major injuries.
“It is probably the lowest point in most of the players’ careers in terms of pulling on the Welsh jersey and the pride they have in doing that.
“A game at home against Italy, losing that was certainly not in the script, so it is very, very disappointing.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments