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'There is no consolation in that': Why Wales were left 'numb' after Grand Slam slipped away

By PA
(Photo by PA)

Wayne Pivac admitted Wales were left numb as a France try two minutes into injury time inflicted a 32-30 defeat and deprived them of a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam.

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In a chaotic finale, France had lock Paul Willemse sent off for making contact with the eye area of Wales prop Wyn Jones, while the visitors were reduced to 13 men after Taulupe Faletau and Liam Williams were sent to the sin bin.

Those yellow cards proved costly as France full-back Brice Dulin crossed from the last play of the match and dashed Welsh hopes of a second Grand Slam in three years.

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Former British and Irish Lion and World Cup winner Neil Back joins Christina, Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson this week to review all the Six Nations action and also take a trip down memory lane

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Former British and Irish Lion and World Cup winner Neil Back joins Christina, Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson this week to review all the Six Nations action and also take a trip down memory lane

“It’s quite a numb feeling after the boys put in such a fantastic effort,” Wales head coach Pivac said after an epic Paris contest.

“It was hard to defend at that point, but the guys had done tremendously well to hold out. It was one too many attack and certainly our discipline didn’t help us in the last 10 minutes.

“It was quite chaotic. The French management were vocal and quite rightly so. They were cheering their team on and we were very vocal in terms of hoping for a turnover.

“It just had everything that last 10 minutes. We’ll reflect that it was a hell of a game, but it was a frustrating last passage certainly.”

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France could now destroy Wales’ title hopes by beating Scotland with a bonus point next Friday.

Pivac admits the fixture – delayed from last month following a coronavirus outbreak in the French camp – will be a difficult examination for Scotland.

He said: “It’s a very good French side, as you saw from a position in the game where I felt we should have kicked on. They just keep coming, a lot of big men, hard on to the ball.

“They put us under a lot of pressure and, especially at home, they’re a quality side. It’s a tough ask for Scotland to come here and win the game, but we’ll be watching eagerly and we’ll see what happens.”

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Reflecting on a heart-breaking defeat for his team, Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones said: “I thought we were pretty good for 80-odd minutes of the game.

“With the final phase, the final play, France obviously edged it. They built the pressure, and indiscipline probably cost us, but credit to France for getting the win.

“When it (the title) is out of your hands, you are looking into the future. It will be interesting to see what happens, and I don’t want to speculate on that.

“There is quite a bit of pride, but there is no consolation in that. It (pride) is something you feel and something you can put value on, but we came here to win, and we didn’t do that.

“We will let the dust settle, and see where we are.”

Asked if he felt Wales could have had a penalty try in the second half, Jones added: “It’s funny. We have benefited from decisions, so it would be remiss of me and uncouth of me if I was to shout from the rooftops about decisions that could or should have gone our way. The sport isn’t about that.”

France head coach Fabien Galthie accused Wales players of getting Willemse sent off for his alleged gouge on Jones.

Galthie said: “I don’t think he deserves a heavy sanction. If you watch the video there is no contact, or if there is contact it is very limited.

“If you watch the Welsh players they specialise in making sure the opponent gets the red card and their body language is quite clear.

“So I hope that is taken into consideration and I don’t think he deserves a sanction.”

On Les Bleus’ comeback victory after Wales had established a 30-20 lead, Galthie added: “It’s a swimming pool of happiness – happiness without limits.

“I don’t know if you can measure the character of the team.

“But I’m not surprised. They tapped into their deepest reserves and found it when it was needed.”

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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”?

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john 10 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.

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