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Warren Gatland front-runner to replace Wayne Pivac - reports
Former British & Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland is being considered to return as Wales head coach to replace Wayne Pivac following their dismal Autumn Nation Series campaign.
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Wales suffered a humiliating 39-34 Autumn Nations Series defeat at the hands of a heavily depleted Wallabies side who somehow managed to fight back into the game in a thrilling second half in Cardiff.
It leaves Wales with just three wins in 2022 and Pivac under serious pressure to keep his job. A home loss to both Italy and Georgia in the same calendar year has certainly not helped the New Zealander and many believe the last-gasp loss to the Wallabies has sealed his fate.
Steffan Thomas for The Times reported late last night that the WRU will hold a committee meeting this week and are considering hiring Gatland and Steve Tandy – or a combination of both – ahead of the Rugby World Cup next year in France.
Gatland is director of rugby at the Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific back in New Zealand. The 59-year-old is currently in Wales and was an ever-present during Amazon Prime’s coverage of Wales’ dire Autumn Nations Series.
Tandy is the current defence coach of Scotland. He worked with Gatland during the 2021 Lions tour of South Africa and could come in as Gatland’s second in command.
Pivac was due to travel to France on Sunday for a World Cup reconnaissance mission, assessing Wales’ four pool-stage venues of Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Nantes.
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But whether he is in charge for the tournament appears increasingly unlikely, while Wales’ Six Nations opener against world number one team Ireland is less than 10 weeks away.
Pivac oversaw a Six Nations title success last year, when Wales were seconds away from winning the Grand Slam, and a first victory over the Springboks in South Africa, but the Georgia debacle came just eight months after a home defeat against Italy.
In contrast, Gatland’s 12-year Wales reign was studded with success and consistent performances.
Speaking immediately after the Australia defeat, Pivac said: “We review every competition, and we will do that and we have to take the positives out of the competition. Things that did not go well we can iron out.
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“I certainly want to stay. You saw when we get things right we are a dangerous team.
“We have more players to come back into the side and the rest is up to other people.
“I am contracted through to the Rugby World Cup.”
Former Wales star Jamie Roberts, though, does not believe that Pivac is the man to lead a World Cup campaign.
“Regardless of the (Australia) result, I am not quite sure we have seen enough to warrant him taking us to the World Cup,” Roberts told Prime Video.
“Obviously, he wants to stay, but I haven’t seen that performance regularly enough throughout the last 12 months to convince me that Wales can have a shot at winning the World Cup.
“Test match rugby is about winning, regardless of how you play. It is a results-driven business, it’s professional sport.
“I look at this objectively, and this year we have lost at home to Italy and Georgia for the first time in our history.
“If we want to dine at the top table of international rugby, that is not acceptable.”
Wales have scored the least tries of any Tier 1 nation in 2022.
additional reporting Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“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 comments