Wayne Pivac won't voluntarily step down despite atrocious year for Wales
Wayne Pivac says he wants to stay as Wales head coach, despite another damaging defeat that will inevitably intensify speculation about his future.
Wales conceded 26 unanswered points during the final 22 minutes to injury-hit Australia as the Wallabies claimed a spectacular 39-34 Autumn Nations Series victory in Cardiff.
The loss was Wales’ ninth reversal in 12 Tests this year and the 20th of Pivac’s three-year reign.
And there are many who feel that his time is up, with the man he succeeded as Wales boss – fellow New Zealander Warren Gatland – being tipped as an interim boss for the next 12 months, incorporating the 2023 World Cup.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think that (leading Wales to the World Cup),” Pivac told Amazon Prime.
“The heat was on me during the week, I had to try and take it off the boys and they played large parts of that game exactly as we wanted them to.
“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.
“I certainly want to stay. You saw today 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.”
Asked in his post-match press conference about Wales’ record this year, Pivac added: “I am just interested in talking about today and getting over what has just happened.
“It’s disappointing, the result, but there was a lot of good stuff to take out of that game which is a positive for us moving forward.”
Pressed on whether it was enough to keep his job, he said: “That’s for someone else to comment on. I am contracted through to the Rugby World Cup.”
Pivac, meanwhile, confirmed he will be travelling to France on Sunday for a World Cup reconnaissance mission that includes assessing Wales’ four pool-stage venues of Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Nantes.
Seven days after a humiliating home defeat against Georgia, Wales were cruising to victory with a 34-13 lead after 58 minutes.
But the Wallabies somehow turned things around, helped by Wales captain Justin Tipuric and substitute hooker Ryan Elias being yellow-carded seven minutes apart during a frenzied final quarter.
Flanker Jac Morgan scored two tries for Wales, while there were also touchdowns for number eight Taulupe Faletau and wing Rio Dyer, with fly-half Gareth Anscombe adding four conversions and two penalties.
But Australia, who were without the likes of key players Michael Hooper, Nic White and Taniela Tupou, delivered tries for hooker Folua Fainga’a and Mark Nawaqanitawase, before the winger added a second touchdown, while they also gained a penalty try and Lachlan Lonergan’s 79th-minute try sealed the comeback.
Fly-half Ben Donaldson kicked a conversion and two penalties, and Noah Lolesio booted two late conversions to leave Wales crestfallen.
“We just have to keep believing and working, because I think everyone would agree on that particular performance today, there was a marked improvement,” Pivac said.
“I am just focusing on our team and what we asked for during the week and what the players wanted to deliver on, and I felt they did that for the majority of the game.
“It is one of those ones which is very tough to take. But rugby can be very cruel at times.
“There is a little bit of luck in this game as well. We won the competition (2021 Six Nations) with a little bit of luck going our way, and it feels at the moment, in tight situations, it hasn’t.”
Reflecting on his yellow card, which was handed out following a trip on Australian replacement Pete Samu, Tipuric said: “I was turning and he kicked my foot. Pete flew out of nowhere.
“As a back-rower, sometimes you do a bit of dirty work and deserve a yellow card, but that was one where it feels like things aren’t going your way.”
Reflecting on his team’s extraordinary fightback, Australia head coach Dave Rennie said: “I am the eternal optimist.
“What was key was we had all the momentum in the last 20 minutes.
“Honestly, I genuinely felt, with 20 minutes to go and we were down by 21 points, there was plenty of time.
“We just needed to get it to the right end of the field and apply some pressure.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
39 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
39 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
39 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
39 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
39 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
39 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
39 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments