Pivac shields North from blame after latest low-key performance
Wayne Pivac says there will be no panic as Wales look to regroup in this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship.
Wales will get their campaign back on track if they beat France at the Principality Stadium in 13 days’ time.
But it will be a severe examination for Pivac’s men as they aim to recover quickly from a 24-14 defeat against Ireland in Dublin.
“We certainly don’t panic,” Wales head coach Pivac said.
“We have got to review the game. The guys are disappointed in not taking the opportunities that presented themselves in the game.
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“We are obviously frustrated with our performance. We have a couple of weeks now to reflect on that so that we are a lot better in our next performance.”
Whether Pivac makes changes for the France clash remains to be seen, but 93 times-capped wing George North was among those who could make little impact on the contest.
North’s frustrating afternoon was highlighted near the end when he knocked on inside his own 22, and Ireland subsequently took advantage of an attacking platform to score a bonus-point try.
“At the end you look at the inaccurate pass (to North),” Pivac added.
Warren Gatland has joined the calls to scrap blanket rules governing the work load for @AllBlacks. #SuperRugby https://t.co/KLRraO7nid
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“He (North) is thinking about having a one-on-one go late in the game to try and score a try the length of the field.
“When you take a pass on your shoulder behind you it’s probably not the best pass. We won’t blame George for that.
“We’ve got plenty to learn from that game, so we need to work hard on different aspects of the game to play the play we want to play.
“We have to be very accurate, so that is basic catch-pass skills, body height in contact and to make sure we are winning more contacts as well.”
Wales’ defeat in Dublin was their first Six Nations loss since Ireland beat them two years ago, but Pivac knows that a lot can happen during the next three rounds of fixtures.
“I was quite lucky. I got my cap in 2016 after playing minimal minutes in the Premiership and I thought ‘here we go, I’m an England player’. And I told Eddie that,” https://t.co/i0Y66UUcdm
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After hosting France, Wales meet England at Twickenham before ending the tournament at home to Scotland.
“We are two games in and are obviously disappointed as the players know we are a lot better than that performance,” he said.
“It is a competition. No-one has won it – it’s not won after two rounds – so we need to make sure we keep improving and against France we have a very good performance and we get back to winning ways.
“The competition itself is going to be a very tight one this year. You can see that already.
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“We’ve mentioned that we need to be more accurate with the ball, build more pressure, and to do that you build phases and don’t turn the ball over after one or two phases.
“We have to be a lot more accurate with what we are doing with the ball.
“I was impressed with their (France’s) performance against England. They played very well with the ball in that first half, and then defended very well in the second half.
“It was a great start for them.”
Watch: Eddie Jones warns against Six Nations expansion
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments