It’s not up to me, guv. That was the gist of Wayne Pivac’s reaction to arguably the most embarrassing defeat in the history of Welsh international rugby. Four months ago, the Wales national coach was being hailed for achieving something no predecessor had even managed – a Test victory over the Springboks in South Africa.

Taulupe Faletau has never been short of belief in Wales – so he reckons this could be a big month for the rugby and football teams. Asked how he thinks Robert Page’s men might do at the World Cup in Qatar, the Wales No.8 says: “Well, hopefully, they’ll bring it back! “You have to have a bit of belief along the way. They left from the Vale (Resort) and we were around so we gave them a little wave to show our support.”

By David Williams Owen Watkin says Wales will have to front up physically against Georgia if they are to unleash their potent back-division this Saturday. Wales’ pack were impressive during last weekend’s hard-fought 20-13 victory over Argentina where they enjoyed 58 percent of territory against the abrasive Latin Americans. Georgia will pose a similar challenge […]

By Paul Jones Wayne Pivac has urged his Wales side to back up last weekend’s victory over Argentina with another strong performance against Georgia this Saturday. Wales have had some tough test matches against Georgia in recent years, and Pivac is expecting another tough encounter.  “We’ve looked at them very closely and I think they are […]

By David Williams Josh Macleod will make his Wales debut against Georgia on Saturday – as a No.8 – as one of six changes made by coach Wayne Pivac that includes the return of wing Josh Adams. The Scarlets forward, who is normally a flanker, has been selected at No. 8. with Jac Morgan, who […]

Louis Rees-Zammit insists the hard edge Wales showed against Argentina has to be there for every Test they play. The Gloucester player thrived at full-back at the weekend as he came through his positional switch from wing thanks to lessons on a laptop with Leigh Halfpenny. Rees-Zammit admitted the heat was on Wales, but the hard sweat of a 20-13 victory over the Pumas has to be only the start.

Justin Tipuric has admitted Wales were rightly trashed after their thrashing by the All Blacks and it fuelled their defiant victory over Argentina. The Wales captain gave an honest assessment of the criticism he and his squad received after the defeat to New Zealand – in which they leaked eight tries – and revealed how the players used it as motivation to overcome a dangerous Pumas team, 20-13. “We knew last week we’d have a lot of stick and rightly so, but this just shows the character in the team to bounce back,” said Tipuric.

Justin Tipuric insists he would like to return to coaching after his playing days are over – even though he reckons Wayne Pivac lives his life in a goldfish bowl Wales captain Tipuric famously combined playing with coaching at his village club Trebanos in his younger days. This weekend the Ospreys flanker will captain his country for the fourth time when he leads them into action against Argentina at the Principality Stadium in a match that will be shown in extended highlights form on Saturday evening on S4C.

Nico Matawalu has played in some bone-shuddering derbies – Fiji v Tonga, Fiji v Samoa, Glasgow v Edinburgh, and Montauban v Colomiers in France. But he’ll have a new version to add to his list by Saturday night when the Fijian international plays for his current club, Pontypridd, at home to Merthyr. It might not have the sunshine of his South Seas battles, or the media attention claimed by the big city Scottish clash, but the Valleys dust-up in the Indigo Premiership on Saturday is unlikely to leave Matawalu with fewer bruises – provided Merthyr can catch him, that is.

It’s been a big week for Rhondda boys and Ystrad Rhondda head coach Dylan Jones hopes the spotlight will stay on the Valley’s sporting pride. In midweek, the world’s media descended on Tylorstown Welfare Hall to hear local boy Rob Page name his Wales squad for football’s World Cup. In rugby, the focus this weekend will be on the return of the Admiral Welsh Championship after a week off as Ystrad Rhondda aim to kickstart their season by winning at Tata Steel.

Wayne Pivac has insisted the party is not over for Alun Wyn Jones after denying him the chance to win a 167th Test cap. The Wales had coach has played down the absence of world record cap-holder Jones from Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series clash with Argentina. The 37-year-old lock and former Wales skipper has not been included by Pivac in the matchday 23.

By David Williams Louis Rees-Zammit will start at full-back in Wales’ Autumn Nations Series clash with Argentina on Saturday. He switches from the wing to fill a problem position for Wales, with Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny both injured. Rees-Zammit made his Test debut after going on as a second-half substitute for Halfpenny against France […]

Taulupe Faletau will celebrate his 32nd birthday this weekend and he’d love a win over the Pumas to make it an extra-special day.  Looking further forward, erasing the bitter memory of the injuries that forced him to miss the 2019 World Cup by going to France next year would be another item high on his birthday wish list. Health permitting, that looks likely, although after an injury ravaged six years at Bath, he isn’t taking anything for granted.

George North played is front of his son Jac for the first  time, but other than that it was business as usual for Wales against the All Blacks. Jac is two-and-ahalf years old, but he would have to be over 70 by this time next year to remember when Wales last beat New Zealand. His father, now 30, the go-to Ospreys man, a two-times Lions tourist, has played 106 times for Wales – beaten England, Ireland, France, South Africa and Australia – but never the men in black.

Bad defeats to New Zealand are nothing new for Wales, but there were times when this one reminded older watchers of the night Muhammad Ali outclassed brave but doomed British heavyweight Richard Dunn. That was back in 1976 when Ali – perhaps like the All Blacks – was already long past his best. But he still had far too much for the limited and ponderous Dunn. After Ali knocked him down for the final time, he began winding up his arm in great circular motions designed to mock his opponent’s readiness to walk onto the next punch.

It’s 69 years – and counting – since Wales last beat the All Blacks but there’s one New Zealander who reckons it’s time to wipe the slate clean. Wayne Pivac – born and bred in Auckland – admits 1953 is simply too long ago and eight years living over here has only reinforced that opinion. The Wales coach has a chance to write his name into the history books on Saturday when the teams meet in Cardiff and is determined to take it.

James Hook will be holding his final testimonial event on Beaujolais Day at the Towers Hotel near Swansea – with help from a number of old Wales teammates. The event will take place on Thursday, November 17 from 12pm. There will be a drinks reception, a three-course meal, a sporting auction, and live entertainment.  The evening will also feature a question and answer session with Hook, and former Wales stars Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Paul James.

James Hook has told Wales they must keep Beauden Barrett out of the limelight if they are to have any chance of ending a dark 69-year history of failure against the All Blacks on Saturday. Hook – who reckons Barrett is still the best blend of runner and creator in the world – believes the New Zealander will conjure enough opportunities to take the game out of Welsh hands, if he’s allowed to thrive. A year ago, Barrett scored two tries and helped the Kiwis score seven in total as Wales were ripped apart, 54-16, in celebration of the two-time world player of the year’s 100th cap.

By David Williams Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has handed Dragons wing Rio Dyer a Test debut in Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series clash against New Zealand. The 22-year-old starts, with Josh Adams, who had been nursing a hand injury, not in the matchday 23. Elsewhere, Leigh Halfpenny will make his Wales return after a 16-month absence from Test rugby. The Scarlets full-back […]

By Tomas Marks In 1953 it was the year that Wales last beat New Zealand and also the year that New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary, and sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest. If Wales are going to conquer the All Blacks after 32 consecutive losses, they will need the extraordinary skill and […]