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Wales highlight the most improved aspect of their play in 2021 and salute Alun Wyn Jones' influence this week
With chasing a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam an experience that is all very new to Wales coach Wayne Pivac, he has been more than happy to allow veteran skipper Alun Wyn Jones to do some heavy lifting in motivating the team for this Saturday’s round five finale away to France.
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Having been around since 2006, Jones, the world’s most-capped Test player ever with 147 Wales appearances and another nine for the Lions, is old hat when it comes to getting ready for these big occasions.
He has been involved in their three Grand Slams of recent vintage as well as the 2013 Six Nations title win, so it’s no wonder that the 35-year-old’s voice has been crystal clear in geeing up his Wales team this week to go and win in Paris with an XV showing one change from last weekend in Rome, Adam Beard taking over from Cory Hill at lock.
“There is a lot of little conversations that go on between coaches and players and in little groups within the team,” explained Wales boss Pivac. “Those conversations have taken place. I know Alun Wyn, in one of his chats earlier in the week, talked about that exact thing.
“Saturday is when we need to bring all the mental energy and physically be right so this week is really about getting the boys to Saturday with a full tank of gas. We need to make sure we don’t over-train and overplay the game and think the game too early on.”
This has Wales nervous ahead of their big date in Paris#SixNations #FRAvWAL
https://t.co/SZ2EbESniq— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 19, 2021
Asked to be more specific about the content of Jones’ patter, Pivac added: “We don’t want to give too much away but certainly it is just good coming from the older head, some words of wisdom from his point of view that is shared with the younger players. He has got so much experience. When he does talk in these situations everybody listens and it’s invaluable having him.”
Pivac’s first year in the job as Wales coach wasn’t kind, a six-match losing streak igniting allegations that he had lost the dressing room. However, he managed to see out 2020 with wins over minnows Georgia and Italy sandwiched by a Llanelli loss to England and hasn’t looked back since, that autumnal pain turning into a springtime flourish.
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“Probably the set-piece,” replied Pivac when quizzed on the aspect that has been the greatest 2021 improvement in Wales’ play. “In the autumn there was a lot of rotation. We were learning about players and it was a conscious effort to do that.
“With that came a bit of pain but certainly our scrum is improving, the discipline at scrum time is improving, our shape is really good, we’re working together, our lineout has improved. So the set-piece is a big one.
“As we saw in the autumn when that is not functioning as well as you would like it puts a lot of pressure on your attack and conversely it gives a lot of ball to the opposition. Your defence is overworked at times. That is probably the big thing. Obviously, our defence has tightened up as well and you wrap it all up with good discipline.”
The return to rude health of seasoned pair Ken Owens and Josh Navidi has also been pivotal to that pack improvement. “They are very, very good players. Ken has got the most caps as a hooker. That’s invaluable and he is a class player with and without the ball and away from the set-piece.
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“Josh is a player who has had his injuries in the last season or two but when he is out there and he gets a run of games together he is one of the players who is world-class. We are very pleased to have both players back.”
"We are very lucky that in our changing room we are going to have 14 of the starting 15 that won a Grand Slam before"
– Wayne Pivac explains his Wales pick for Saturday's Grand Slam finale #SixNations #FRAvWAL https://t.co/nt2kRzeQhX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 18, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid 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?
11 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.
10 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.
11 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.
24 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.
10 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 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?
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