Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

'The officials may have got that one wrong' - Pivac unhappy over big decisions which cost Wales

By Online Editors
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Wayne Pivac felt the big refereeing decisions went against Wales as France claimed a first Six Nations win in Cardiff for 10 years to stay on course for Grand Slam glory.

ADVERTISEMENT

France claimed a 27-23 victory at the Principality Stadium to make it three wins from three as reigning European champions Wales lost at home in the tournament for the first time since 2017.

But the game was not without controversy as France – leading 27-16 with 15 minutes to go – escaped sanction when second-row forward Paul Willemse knocked the ball down with wing Josh Adams set to take Ken Owens’ pass.

Adams seemed likely to score in the corner, but English referee Matthew Carley decided a penalty was punishment enough and chose not to brandish a yellow card.

“There was quite a few key moments in that game,” Wales head coach Pivac said.

“It just seemed, whenever we were playing advantage, the next ruck was killed or the ball was slowed down so we came back for the penalty.

“There was the (Willemse) slap down. We had a good look at that and I think the officials may have got that one wrong. That killed momentum there as well.

“Another disappointing one was when the French tighthead (Demba Bamba) came on. He went straight across the scrum and was rewarded for that. Those were the big moments in the game.”

ADVERTISEMENT

France led 17-9 at the break, with full-back Anthony Bouthier and Willemse scoring tries for Les Bleus and Dan Biggar replying with three penalties.

Dillon Lewis’ first Test try reduced the deficit to a point, but Romain Ntamack – who finished with a 17-point haul – claimed an interception score and kicked a penalty to put France in command.

Biggar scored a late try, but France held on for a famous win.

“We are certainly not going to panic,” Pivac said after successive defeats to Ireland and France, and with a daunting trip to England next on the agenda.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s about building, we created a lot of opportunities and I think we are heading in the right direction. It’s about taking those opportunities.

“If we convert one or two more we are truly in games and winning. You come back to the intercept, three v one. If we are accurate with our passing we probably score at the other end.

“That was a big momentum shift. We’re frustrated with a couple of decisions we made ourselves after creating opportunities on one or two occasions.”

Wales lost both wings, George North and Adams, to injury. North went off in the 11th minute and did not return after failing a head injury assessment.

Adams picked up an ankle injury and will be assessed next week ahead of the trip to Twickenham on March 7.

France head to Scotland next before concluding their championship at home to Ireland.

Les Bleus have not won the Six Nations since 2010 – when they last did the Grand Slam – and team manager Raphael Ibanez admitted the Cardiff victory was sweet for defence coach Shaun Edwards.

The Englishman spent 12 years as Wales defence coach under Warren Gatland before joining the France set-up in November.

“Shaun gave so much for Wales for years and we are pleased to have him,” Ibanez said.

“You could feel after the game he was pleased. It was an awesome performance from our defence through the game.”

On whether Wales could have had a penalty try when Willmese knocked on, Ibanez added: “You need to watch the game and review it to think about that.

“We don’t talk about the championship, just the next game.”

Wayne Pivac’s press conference for Wales vs France:

Video Spacer

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

44 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Storm clouds gather over Biarritz with owner poised to bail out Storm clouds gather over Biarritz with owner poised to bail out
Search