'It's fine margins at this level': Pivac opens up after being dismissed by Wales
The international rugby coaching merry-go-round is in full swing, with three proud nations having announced significant changes as they look to get their World Cup dreams back on track.
Following a disastrous campaign, which included a first-ever loss to minnows Georgia in Cardiff, the Welsh Rugby Union were the first team to axe their head coach Wayne Pivac.
New Zealand-born Pivac had been released from his duties, while former Wales boss Warren Gatland was named to return nine month’s out from the World Cup.
Since, the RFU have fired super coach Eddie Jones, and the Wallabies have parted ways with Dave Rennie – who has been replaced by Jones.
Wales had a become a shadow of their former selves throughout a tough campaign; falling to ninth in the world rankings, just a year after they won the Six Nations.
After winning a test against the Springboks on South African soil in July, Wales slumped to a shocking run of form throughout the Autumn Nations Series.
The All Blacks turned a corner with an emphatic 23-55 win at the Principality Stadium, before the Welsh bounced back with a win over Los Pumas.
But the worst was yet to come.
A shocking loss at home to Georgia seemed to seal Pivac’s fate, before a stunning collapse against the Wallabies a week later.
Reflecting on his time in charge of Wales, Pivac said he was “very disappointed” with how it all ended.
“Obviously very disappointed not to have seen the job through to the World Cup but it’s fine margins at this level of the game, and ultimately the buck stops with me when it comes to results,” Pivac said on The Platform earlier this week.
“Very disappointed but now looking forward to the next challenge.
“Hindsight is a great thing isn’t it? There might be the odd selection here and there but ultimately it comes down to the style of game you want to play,” he added later.
“I think we did that well at times and other times we didn’t.
“Probably for me, it’s making sure that we were more consistent than we were, and there’s a lot of factors that come into that.
“But ultimately I control that. The results weren’t as good as I would’ve liked personally, and we’re probably the most critical on ourselves as coaches.
“There were some highlights obviously which I’m really, really proud of. Winning that championship and getting the record points and tries, and obviously winning for the first time in South Africa for a Welsh team.
“There were some things to be proud of but also unearthing some very, very good young talent which I think will hold Wales in good stead going forward though to probably 2027.”
Wales were clearly falling short of where they needed to be ahead of this year’s World Cup, so change was necessary.
But even when the going got tough, and losses started to become more common, not many people in the rugby world would’ve tipped Georgia’s stunning upset.
Tries to Jac Morgan saw the hosts race out to an early lead, before Georgia struck back through Sandro Todua mid-way through the second-half.
Then, with three minutes to play, Tedo Abzhandadze kicked a penalty which handed the visitors a one-point lead – which they hung onto as well.
That’s when Pivac knew his time in charge of the Wales nation team was coming to an end.
“Probably after the Georgia game to be honest, a game that Wales should never lose.
“Certainly after the game, just body language you can tell, for me the writing was on the wall then.
“We had one more game to play against Australia and that game, for 60 odd minutes of the game it was a record score against Australia and we were cruising.
“Then to lose it the way we did with a few yellow cards and an injury was pretty gutting really. All in all, very disappointing.”
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar 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.
11 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.
55 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.
7 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
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 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
55 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.
55 Go to comments