Wayne Pivac's Wales fate could be decided by Tuesday
Wayne Pivac’s future as Wales head coach looks set to be decided this week. His job is on the line following a dismal Autumn Nations Series campaign when Wales lost to Georgia and Australia, blowing a 34-13 lead against the Wallabies.
The Georgia defeat followed a home loss to annual Six Nations strugglers Italy eight months earlier.
Warren Gatland remains the frontrunner to coach Wales in this season’s Six Nations Championship and World Cup if Welsh rugby chiefs decide that Pivac should be replaced.
Gatland, who Pivac succeeded as Wales boss after the 2019 World Cup, could potentially step in as interim head coach on a 12-month contract, although Gatland has also been linked with England’s top job amid the Rugby Football Union reviewing Eddie Jones’ position.
An ongoing Welsh Rugby Union review into the autumn series could be completed by Tuesday, the PA news agency understands.
And a decision on whether Pivac stays or goes will be the headline finding of a campaign review the WRU said would be done “in its entirety and in detail”.
Wales have lost 20 of their 34 Tests under Pivac – including eight defeats this year – won 13 and drawn one.
Speculation about his role continues against a backdrop of considerable financial uncertainty in Welsh professional rugby.
No future funding agreement between the WRU and Wales’ four regional teams – Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets and Ospreys – has yet been thrashed out.
There is currently a freeze on contract negotiations, leading to considerable uncertainty, with Dragons lock Will Rowlands – a key Wales performer during Pivac’s time in charge – reportedly agreeing a deal that would see him join French heavyweights Racing 92.
The situation has prompted a strong reaction from the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, with increasing anxiety surrounding the lack of a long-term finance model for Wales’ professional regions.
“The ongoing delay is having a detrimental effect on the well-being of players, and potentially the performances, across the regions,” the WRPA said, in a statement.
“The players from all four regions are united in one voice to call for the immediate resolution to the impasse. Our members can’t continue to play with the fear of the unknown hanging over them.
“Several players are out of contract at the end of June 2023, and with an embargo on contract negotiations these members are unable to discuss, let alone secure future employment beyond the next six months.
“Not knowing if they have a job – and thus an income to pay mortgages and bills – is a weighty situation to be carrying on a day-to-day basis, and onto the field.
“As an Association, our role is to represent and support our members, with player welfare of utmost priority.
“Daily discussions on this matter are taking place in all four regions, and as time goes on we are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare and mental well-being of our members.
“For the sanity and health of our members, the delay cannot go on any longer. An agreement needs to be concluded by the Union (WRU) and four regions imminently.”
Comments on RugbyPass
anybody who bends at the waist when they tackle
3 Go to commentsThe evidence is not strong that this is necessary. Mounga choked on clutch kicks in the WRC final and lost the match by not performing his core goal kicking role to the level required. He also choked in the Semi final against England and was targeted as the weak point in the defence allowing them to score. Not a test great frankly. Why bend the rules for a player that is competent but not brilliant at test level?
11 Go to commentsDear Robbie, Please return to the Crusaders next season. Sincerely, Scott
1 Go to commentsDid the big E call the Irish the ‘White Can’ts’? That would’ve been good
32 Go to commentsDalton Papalii will be lucky to be selected on the Matchday 23. Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder, Luke Jacobson, and Peter Lauki are all as good or better openside flankers
9 Go to commentsScott Barrett is a lock and they have a much longer shelf life than a loose forward. Far more likely that Barrett will still demand a starting position based on performance at age 33 at RWC 2027 than Savea, whose explosive athleticism will have declined and he will in all likelihood have been surpassed by Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Siti, Peter Lauki and Brayden Iose.
9 Go to commentsExtremely frustrating to get yet more speculation over whether or not Eben actually counted 12 players or not, but honestly big respect to McCloskey for keeping it classy and not pointing out Etzebeth’s hypocrisy. The Irish are a popular team outside of Ireland because they do their talking on the pitch, and its honestly a PR masterclass that they’re keeping it that way following Etzebeth’s provocation.
32 Go to commentsGood option for the lineout lost there.
1 Go to commentsIt’s not like Saffas have a long history of spouting absolute shite at any & every occasion. Oh wait… The dangers of an inferior third world education strike again.
32 Go to commentsI’m so glad we’re revisiting this. Really needs to be dissected further. I’m also so glad that a guy in the stands who wasn’t anywhere near the field when any of it would have been said (and even confirms this) has taken the lead and commented as Ireland. Definitely cleared it all up. This article would be hilarious if it wasn’t so misleading.
32 Go to commentsits such a shame he hasn’t achieved more success at club level. He’s really not been a potent finisher for a while now, but he’s still excellent in the kick chase. That’s the kind of skillset that generally only gets appreciated when you’re playing in premiership and european finals. I’m not sure whether the challenge cup counts given the quality of the competition seems lower than in previous years, but his duel with Mapimpi should be enthralling.
1 Go to commentsThe point is the irish players were arrogant,call it like you want sugar coat it aswell but they were you could see it in their way they handeled themselfs on the field when they got something right so dont tell me it was not arrogance it was,you can fool other people but not me,and to say to one of our players see you in the final put a nail in the coffin for this bullsh@t,just be grown men and accept it that you were arrogant,you could if seen it from a mile away, and then you lost to the allblacks what a cocky move that didnt work out for you ,Eben was right when he said u were arrogant,the point is you will deny it because you lost it all just grow some balls and move on we had won you lost accept it.
32 Go to comments“summer tour of North and South America” so its a summer tour of america?
1 Go to commentsEverybody is giving the Irish players the benefit of the doubt in ‘what they meant’, but none of these pundits or commentators offer the same courtesy to Eben. I don’t think Eben went, 1, 2, 3… etc. What might have happened is he didn’t count and when the 3rd or 5th guy said he went, hang on why are so many of them saying this… and then started to concentrate on it more and more as players continue to say it. So no, he didn’t count it, he realised many Irish players said it and made an assumption based on that… The Irish team was VERY confident at the time and I do believe they believed they were going to win the World Cup, which borders a bit on the arrogant side…
32 Go to commentsI can see how some of the Irish players would have said”see you in the final” as a gentle comment after a victory. It’s open to interpretation but it’s clumsy language. I don’t know the fella but I assure you Eben doesn’t have an axe to grind with Ireland. He has never been the media seeking pro. Oh and BTW it is I’ll be our winter in July so won’t be wet.
32 Go to comments*McCloskey*: _I saw this clip. Like, I wasn’t playing that game; I was in the stands…so you don't know sh!t in other words, infact you know just as much as Goode on this matter. I will believe the guy who was on the pitch when things were said as appose to two people speculating over what was said._
32 Go to comments@ turlough dream on buddy. Your boys are in for one tough time down in sa this summer…
32 Go to commentsI think Goode is looking to establish a platform for himself. Eben said “Probably” so that suggests he wasn’t counting. It’s an estimate Goode. I think even with your short and uneventful experience with the Sharks you probably realise winding up Saffas will get you some airtime. It’s a none event. Move on
32 Go to commentsRugby has never been as structured and synthetically pleasing as it is at this moment. The game is simply beautiful and messing with it too much will ruin it for everyone. I can't help but feel that over the past decade or so many rules have been changed to accommodate a certain hemisphere and counter another. Perhaps I am wrong but I somehow don’t think so.
2 Go to commentsNoted some excellent defensive steals from the Rebs last week against the Reds, largely J Canham, I think. It’s not a Rolls Royce but they are a real threat with their defensive line out at the beginning matches. What do you make of Canham Nick, WBs squad material?
86 Go to comments