PIVAC ON VERBALS: HATE HAS NO PLACE IN RUGBY
the bench for only the fifth time in his Red Rose tenure.
South Africa adopted a 6-2 split between forwards and backs en route to winning the World Cup, and Jones hopes being able to summon a new front-five, plus a back rower, will ensure 80-minute power on the gain line.
“We are expecting strong competition at the breakdown as we’ve got a referee who tends to allow contest,” said Jones. “It’s going to be a high volume, high-intensity game in the forwards.
“Look at our last game against Scotland. I think 80 per cent of it was played in one pass! That suggests there is not much width in the game and you need artillery in that area.
“We are not hiding from the fact we want to take them on up front. We are well equipped and can get an edge in that area.”
Without Billy Vunipola and Manu Tuilagi, this is a team still short of big carriers, though the return of George Kruis and Mako Vunipola will improve the situation.
England also need Willi Heinz, starting a Six Nations game for the first time at the age of 33, to deliver more contestable kicks than Youngs managed in Paris.
Get it all right and Jones’ ‘last laugh’ dream may just live to see another day.
IRELAND REPS:
WALES REPS:
REFEREE: 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
vAviva Stadium, Dublin, tomorrow, KO 2.15pm
WAYNE PIVAC has slammed England and Scotland’s verbal slanging match.
The Calcutta Cup rivals have been involved in a war of words but Wales head coach Pivac (above) says there is no place for hate in rugby.
Former Kiwi cop Pivac’s past career has given him priceless perspective and he said: “Hate is a strong word and I don’t think there’s any need for that in rugby.
“We talk about getting in the trenches and all teams do. When you are five metres out from your line you’ve got to dig deep.
“It’s a contact and gladiatorial sport and you’ve got to have the mindset right. Everybody is looking to get an edge.”
Pivac has made one change to his starting XV for tomorrow’s clash with Ireland in Dublin with Saracens centre Nick Tompkins handed his first Wales start. Tompkins (right) made a try-scoring debut off the bench as the defending Grand Slam champions hammered Italy 42-0.
He replaces Johnny McNicholl with George North moving to the wing. Rhys Carre, Adam Beard and Owen Williams come on to the bench with McNicholl.
Storm Ciara is set to hit Dublin for tomorrow’s game and Pivac – who wants to play an attacking brand of rugby – says his team will get down and dirty if required.
“If the conditions dictate we have to win through an arm wrestle – this team has been very good at doing that in the past,” he said.
Ireland captain Johnny Sexton admits defeat to Wales in last year’s Six Nations still stings.
Wales clinched the 2019 Grand Slam with a convincing 25-7 victory in Cardiff, taking the title off defending champions Ireland in the process.
Asked if that result hurts, Sexton replied: “Of course. We were going for a championship, they were going for a Grand Slam. We got well beaten out of the gate, a very disappointing day. Any time you lose for Ireland it never leaves you.”