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The reason Wales are backing rookie Rio Dyer against All Blacks
Wales boss Wayne Pivac has backed Rio Dyer to relish the prospect of a Test match debut against New Zealand in Cardiff. The 22-year-old Dragons wing starts the Autumn Nations Series opener after an impressive United Rugby Championship campaign – and he could not have wished for a bigger stage, with Wales seeking a first victory over the All Blacks since 1953.
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“He is a young man that is in form,” Pivac said. “He has been playing and training well, so we think it is a great opportunity for him. Those are the ones [the conversations] you love having as a coach. It is when you are telling someone they are not involved that you don’t enjoy them.
“The senior players are getting around him and supporting him. He is genuinely excited. He is a confident young man. I don’t think the occasion will get to him. He is looking forward to testing himself against some of the best players in the world.
“At the moment, he is showing all the qualities to be a very, very good rugby player. He has come in and it’s like he has been here a long, long time. He gets about his work really nicely like a good professional. We’ve been very pleased to see that growth in a short space of time.”
Dyer will wear the No11 shirt that Josh Adams would normally fill, but he is continuing his recovery from a hand injury. Pivac added: “In terms of Josh, it is probably another week or two. We would like to think Josh will be ready next week. We will take that one as it comes.”
Elsewhere, Leigh Halfpenny will make his Wales return at the Principality Stadium after a 16-month absence from Test rugby. The Scarlets full-back suffered serious knee ligament damage during Wales’ victory over Canada last year. Hooker Ken Owens, who has not played for Wales since the 2021 Six Nations due to a back problem, starts in the front row alongside Gareth Thomas and Tomas Francis.
Pivac has replaced injured fly-half Dan Biggar with Gareth Anscombe, while captain Justin Tipuric and his fellow openside flanker Tommy Reffell pack down in the back-row, with Taulupe Faletau at No8. Tipuric last represented Wales almost 20 months ago, having been sidelined because of a serious shoulder injury, while Leicester forward Reffell is retained following an outstanding Test series against South Africa this summer.
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Cardiff’s Tomos Williams has won the scrum-half vote ahead of Kieran Hardy, with considerable replacements’ bench experience provided by Alun Wyn Jones and Rhys Priestland. Exeter forward Christ Tshiunza is also among the replacements, making Wales’ match day group following some outstanding displays for the Chiefs this season.
Wales have lost their last 32 Tests against New Zealand, with 24 of those defeats being by 15 points and more, but the All Blacks have experienced a testing year, losing to Ireland (twice), Argentina and South Africa and dropping from first to fourth in World Rugby’s official rankings.
Wales are fresh from a first victory over the Springboks in South Africa and Pivac said: “We need to make sure we keep building on that. “What better side to come up against than New Zealand? When you see their team sheet, it’s quality, but we are there to win it.
“We went to South Africa on a bit of a mission and we were lucky enough to create some history there. It’s now about mental preparation and believing we can do it. We’ve got to go out there with that belief and put it out there on the park for 80 minutes.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Did footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
31 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
31 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
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