By David Williams
Wayne Pivac insists Wales are making progress and his players are fully behind him, despite seven defeats in his nine matches in charge.
The Wales coach suffered his latest setback with a 24-13 reverse against England at Parc y Scarlets and although it was a much-improved performance by Wales, they were unable to threaten a team currently seven places above them in the world rankings.
Pivac, though insists his captain, Alun Wyn Jones, and his players are fully behind him along the bumpy road to transformation from the Warren Gatland era.
“I take note of the players and listening to them, I’m very pleased that they believe they’re heading in the right direction,” said Pivac.
“Alun Wyn Jones doesn’t think we’re far away and are heading in the right direction. Today, it was more about how the defence was operating. All in all, I think to see that England side taking shots at goal was a sign of respect.
“We asked for a lot of energy, we asked for a bit of passion. We wanted to start well and I think we got the good start after weathering the storm, with the breakout try.”
Pivac struggled to mask his frustration with referee Romain Poite following a seventh defeat in their last eight Tests.
The New Zealander was particularly bemused by the French official’s decision to over-rule the television match official’s call that Dan Biggar had been taken out in the air in the build-up to England’s first try.
He was also left frustrated by his side being penalised for scrum offences on several occasions.
“We were probably a bit disappointed going in at half-time,” Pivac, who added he would raise these issues with World Rugby, said. “The 11 points are probably ones that we would argue the toss with.
“Dan Biggar was tackled in the air, and a try came from that. The TMO called in to say it was a tackle in the air, but the referee played on.
“We then asked for him [Poite] to have a look before the conversion was taken, but our captain was dismissed 20 metres away.
What a terrible game, @WelshRugbyUnion v @EnglandRugby like watching paint dry. Like two teams of robots going through the paces, if you watched the RGrand Final last night when it was entertaining from start to finish. I’ve seen great games of RU but this was definitely not one
— Jim Mills (@millsjim44) November 28, 2020
“That was disappointing, and the scrums also need to be tidied up. There are a lot of resets and a lot of scrum penalties being awarded, and in some cases, we think, wrongly so.”
Wales did score the first try through England-born centre Johnny Williams.
But England were deserved winners as they scored through Henry Slade and Mako Vunipola plus the boot of captain Owen Farrell.
Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar kicked the rest of Wales’ points while Williams and rookie flankers James Botham and Shane Lewis-Hughes stood up well.
Wales will play Italy in Llanelli next Saturday in their final game of the Autumn Nations Cup to wrap up a disappointing first year under Pivac.
This performance against England was better than the unimpressive stuff Wales served up against Scotland and Ireland, but their set-piece was still poor.
Pivac added: “We were probably a bit disappointed going in at half time. You have to recognise that England are ranked the second best team in the world at the moment and they came fully loaded.
“We expected it to be a battle and we expected it to be tough going and it certainly was that.”
