Wales open talks with Wayne Pivac

[wayneha50]

The Scarlets coach, Wayne Pivac, has confirmed he has held talks with the Welsh Rugby Union with a view to replacing Warren Gatland as Wales head coach after the 2019 World Cup.

Pivac’s stock has risen after he guided the Scarlets to the semi-finals of the Champions Cup – a season after winning the Pro12 – and the New Zealander, who signed a new contract with the region in October, has been sounded out by the WRU.

Martyn Phillips, the WRU chief executive, said in December he wants an appointment to be made by the summer and Pivac was at the time believed to be on a three-man shortlist which also included Chris Boyd, who has since agreed to take over at Northampton, and Dave Rennie.

After it emerged over the weekend that the WRU had sought permission to speak to Pivac, the 55-year-old was on Tuesday quoted by the BBC as saying there had been “discussions over my contract here”. He added: “As you’d expect, I’m sure most coaches at the highest level in Wales would have had conversations. But there has not been a formal interview.”

[Son of Mathonwy]

Well, let's hope the WRU are seriously looking at him although I'm not sure the reality of it is as serious as "opening talks" sounds (I wish...). You would hope the prospect of promoting some extremely promising Welsh assistant coaches* would count in Pivac's favour with the WRU though.

* Stephen Jones seems to get a lot of the credit, but the whole team must be doing a great job, particularly Jones and Byron Hayward, the defence coach.

[Spiffy]

Wales should grab him. If he can get the national team to play Scarlets-style rugby they'll beat anyone.

[Sandydragon]

Obviously Pivac is a front runner given his track record at the Scarlets, in fact the whole coaching team would be a real bonus for Wales.

But there is a part of me that would prefer Pivac and co stay put and look elsewhere. The Scarlets are the one Welsh regional team which looks the business at the moment, if there are other coaches out there who meet the grade then perhaps look to recruit one of them and leave a winning team in llanelli alone.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Obviously Pivac is a front runner given his track record at the Scarlets, in fact the whole coaching team would be a real bonus for Wales.

But there is a part of me that would prefer Pivac and co stay put and look elsewhere. The Scarlets are the one Welsh regional team which looks the business at the moment, if there are other coaches out there who meet the grade then perhaps look to recruit one of them and leave a winning team in llanelli alone.

I don't want to break what they have going on in Llanelli... but if there's a chance it can be reproduced at the national level I have to say, let's do it.

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

[Sourdust]

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

And this one.

I'm happy for Wales to field 23 Scarlets if that's what it takes to succeed, and I'll cheer them on.

Welsh rivalries are a bit of fun as far as I'm concerned. I'm delighted when the Os stick one on Scarlets or the Blues but I'm right behind those teams against anyone else. Rugby is Wales vs The World in my book.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

And this one.

I'm happy for Wales to field 23 Scarlets if that's what it takes to succeed, and I'll cheer them on.

Welsh rivalries are a bit of fun as far as I'm concerned. I'm delighted when the Os stick one on Scarlets or the Blues but I'm right behind those teams against anyone else. Rugby is Wales vs The World in my book.

Absolutely. Wales comes first, by a long way.

[Sandydragon]

I’m fully on the Wales first camp, but if there is an opportunity to have a good coach at international level and one at at least one of our regions then at least our players are part of a well performing and successful team when away from the Welsh camp.

Ultimately if Pivac wants to go for the job then he must have a good chance and it should be the best man for the job. I also suspect that the Scarlets will be in a good position to recruit another good coach. But ideall I want good coaches across all of our pro teams, not just for the national team.

[Mellsblue]

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

Rugby is Wales vs The World in my book.

Steady on. You can’t even beat 2nd tier, 5th place England

[Numbers]

Obviously Pivac is a front runner given his track record at the Scarlets, in fact the whole coaching team would be a real bonus for Wales.

But there is a part of me that would prefer Pivac and co stay put and look elsewhere. The Scarlets are the one Welsh regional team which looks the business at the moment, if there are other coaches out there who meet the grade then perhaps look to recruit one of them and leave a winning team in llanelli alone.

I don't want to break what they have going on in Llanelli... but if there's a chance it can be reproduced at the national level I have to say, let's do it.

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

Me neither, however if it's for the benefit of the national side then so be it, the one thing that would concern me is the replacement coach they would have at the Scarlets, Pivac would need to have a big say in who that would be and the playing patterns will need to be kept in place. It would be pointless to have a great national coach if he's replaced by someone who has a different set of tactics at the region which is supplying the vast majority of players.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Obviously Pivac is a front runner given his track record at the Scarlets, in fact the whole coaching team would be a real bonus for Wales.

But there is a part of me that would prefer Pivac and co stay put and look elsewhere. The Scarlets are the one Welsh regional team which looks the business at the moment, if there are other coaches out there who meet the grade then perhaps look to recruit one of them and leave a winning team in llanelli alone.

I don't want to break what they have going on in Llanelli... but if there's a chance it can be reproduced at the national level I have to say, let's do it.

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

Me neither, however if it's for the benefit of the national side then so be it, the one thing that would concern me is the replacement coach they would have at the Scarlets, Pivac would need to have a big say in who that would be and the playing patterns will need to be kept in place. It would be pointless to have a great national coach if he's replaced by someone who has a different set of tactics at the region which is supplying the vast majority of players.

(Slightly tongue in cheek...) The best solution may be for Wales to get Pivac and the Scarlets to get Rennie.

[Numbers]

I don't want to break what they have going on in Llanelli... but if there's a chance it can be reproduced at the national level I have to say, let's do it.

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

Me neither, however if it's for the benefit of the national side then so be it, the one thing that would concern me is the replacement coach they would have at the Scarlets, Pivac would need to have a big say in who that would be and the playing patterns will need to be kept in place. It would be pointless to have a great national coach if he's replaced by someone who has a different set of tactics at the region which is supplying the vast majority of players.

(Slightly tongue in cheek...) The best solution may be for Wales to get Pivac and the Scarlets to get Rennie.

As long as it isn't Mark Jones

[Sandydragon]

Obviously Pivac is a front runner given his track record at the Scarlets, in fact the whole coaching team would be a real bonus for Wales.

But there is a part of me that would prefer Pivac and co stay put and look elsewhere. The Scarlets are the one Welsh regional team which looks the business at the moment, if there are other coaches out there who meet the grade then perhaps look to recruit one of them and leave a winning team in llanelli alone.

I don't want to break what they have going on in Llanelli... but if there's a chance it can be reproduced at the national level I have to say, let's do it.

Even if that means a Scarlets-dominated Wales for a few years (this Ospreys fan can cope with it).

Me neither, however if it's for the benefit of the national side then so be it, the one thing that would concern me is the replacement coach they would have at the Scarlets, Pivac would need to have a big say in who that would be and the playing patterns will need to be kept in place. It would be pointless to have a great national coach if he's replaced by someone who has a different set of tactics at the region which is supplying the vast majority of players.

In an ideal world, there would be a welsh style of play tha t the regions broadly emulated. But that’s a different topic.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Another resounding victory for the Scarlets over Glasgow... and, effectively, Pivac over Rennie.