PIVAC’S FITNESS WARNING TO WYN
LIONS TEST ACE FACES FIGHT FOR SPOT
WAYNE Pivac says Grand Slam prop Wyn Jones has work to do as he looks to sort out Wales’s scrummaging problems.
Pivac’s team conceded a succession of penalties at the scrum during the 23-18 defeat to South Africa at the Principality Stadium the weekend before last.
The Kiwi coach stuck with the same front five for Sunday’s victory over Fiji, which meant Llandovery’s Lions Test loosehead Jones was once against restricted to a bench berth.
Rhys Carre retained the No. 1 jersey, packing down alongside Ryan Elias and Tomas Francis in the front row.
Asked about Wales’s struggles in the tight against the Springboks,
Pivac said: “South Africa are an exceptional scrummaging team.
“They have had good success against the other top nations in the Rugby Championship.
“But also there’s work to be done on our side.
“I think we’ve come in undercooked.
“Wyn Jones, coming back from the Lions, knows he has got a bit of work to do to get to the full fitness levels required to play at Test level.
“And you could argue that Tomas Francis has, by his own admission, got some work to do as well.
“With losing Ken Owens in the middle of that, the scrum has been weakened.”
Meanwhile, Scott Williams was released from Wales’s autumn squad last week.
The 58-cap centre headed back to the Scarlets after not being involved in any of Wales’s matchday squads.
The Newcastle Emlyn product had been called in to the camp to cover Willis Halaholo after the Cardiff star tested positive for Covid-19.
But Halaholo has now linked back up with Pivac’s squad after his isolation period came to an end.