Coaches surprised at tour omissions

OSPREYS head coach Toby Booth has expressed surprise at Wayne Pivac’s reasons for dropping ‘standout’ Jac Morgan from Wales’s squad for this summer’s tour of South Africa.

And Cardiff boss Dai Young said he was also “really surprised” at the omission of Wales regular Seb Davies.

The versatile Davies played in all but one of Wales’s matches this season, either at blindside flanker or in his regional position of second row, starting the last two games, against France and Italy, at No. 6. Yet there is no place for him in Wayne Pivac’s 33-strong selection.

Booth said: “I’ve had conversations with Wayne around his decisions and I’ve obviously had the conversation around Jac.

“All I can talk about is the performance that Jac has produced for us.

“He’s been one of our standout players, probably along with Rhys Webb, to be fair. They’ve been two of our standout players all year.

“Jac is in the top three for tackles completed (in the URC), he’s in the top three for dominant tackles and he’s in the top three for breakdown steals.

“Wayne knows what he wants to do in South Africa and what sort of game he plays.

“All I can comment on is that I know Jac will use it as fuel to get better. All he can control is what he does next. From a performance point of view in URC he’s been one of our standout players.”

Asked specifically if he was taken aback by Pivac’s comments about the 22-year-old, Booth said: “Am I surprised? Yeah, I suppose I am, really.

“It’s Wayne’s decision. Wayne has his reasons and so those questions are really for him.”

Meanwhile, Davies’s Cardiff coach Young said: “I am really surprised. When someone is an ever-present, you expect them to make the squad. Seb has been a bit of a consistent over the last season, in the autumn internationals and the Six Nations, and, if anything, he’s been playing better over the last month or so.

“It’s just surprising because he has had the nod in all the campaigns to date. I am sure he will be disappointed and we are disappointed for him.”

Back-row man Jim Botham is another Cardiff forward to miss out, despite having had an excellent season at regional level.

Young added: “He has played really well, right across the back for us, at 6, 8 and 7. He’s been consistents, good both sides of the ball. I am disappointed for him and I am sure he is going to be disappointed as well.”