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What Jamie Roberts would do to fix Wayne Pivac's struggling Wales
Former Wales midfielder Jamie Roberts has identified what Wales need to do in the Autumn Nations Cup to snap their worrying five-game losing streak under Wayne Pivac – keep changes to a minimum and start winning collisions.
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Wales’ run of form left them beaten by Scotland last Saturday in Llanelli and consigned to a desultory fifth place Six Nations finish 19 months after they won the Grand Slam in Warren Gatland’s final championship.
Gatland went on to guide Wales to a fourth-place finish at the World Cup in Japan last November but they have struggled since Pivac took charge, a Cardiff win over Italy in February being followed by defeats to Ireland, France, England, France and the Scots.
They next face Ireland in Dublin on November 13 and while disgruntled fans are heaping criticism on Pivac, Roberts has outlined his quick-fix solutions that can get Wales back firing again.
Appearing as co-host on the latest episode of RugbyPass Offload, Roberts said: “I don’t see him [Pivac] making too many changes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the likes of Callum Sheedy, Ioan Lloyd given the opportunity but around an experienced core of players.
It has been a difficult few weeks for Warren Gatland's successor https://t.co/cgenpbWKp5
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 4, 2020
“He probably needs to role the dice a little bit with some younger players. I don’t think the core of the squad will change. There are some wonderful, established, experienced international players there to do the job for Wales who haven’t had too much rugby.
“So over the next six weeks, hopefully we will see those players back fully fit and fully firing because they weren’t good last week against Scotland. It was a poor performance admittedly from the lads and they need to change that run of form pretty quickly.
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“They are going to put more width on the game, there is no doubt about that. Teams that Wayne Pivac has coached in the past, they want to put width on the game, they want to keep athletic back rowers in those 15-metre channels to give them opportunities on the ball in space.
“The problem for Wales at the minute revolves around the collisions and contact area, they just got no change there from Scotland who were brilliant. It’s the only time since I started playing Test rugby and since then that I was quite apprehensive about Scotland coming to Wales,” continued Roberts.
“The last time Scotland won in Wales was 2002 and before the match I just had this sneaky feeling. I thought Wales would win but just in the back of my mind, just the quality that Scotland have built over the last couple of seasons and what Gregor has built there, I was a little bit nervous and unfortunately that became reality.
“Wayne wants to add a bit more width to the game, they want to play with pace and utilise the skillset of the players. However, in the northern hemisphere, the weather tends to be wet, the pitches heavy and when you come up against linespeed, you can’t do that unless you win collisions, get quick ball and you go forward.
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“Wales just at the minute are not doing that. In the contact area it wasn’t good enough at the weekend and they will be looking to right those wrongs looking into the Ireland game because Ireland, probably more than any team, come after that contact area.”
EPISODE 5 of RUGBYPASS OFFLOAD
Special guest CJ Stander joins Dylan Hartley, Jamie Roberts and Christina Mahon to wrap up the #sixnations2020 and look forward to lots more international Rugby ?
iTunes – https://t.co/lkYxZZv3nf
Spotify – https://t.co/OglUEbEJfY#RPoffload pic.twitter.com/FDq01DV7DC— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 4, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
“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.
22 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
3 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.
2 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 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)
3 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?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments