Winds of change set to blow, but it won’t all be plain sailing!
IF Marion Crane had kept on driving in the rain instead of booking in for a short stay at Norman Bates’ motel, let’s just say it could have been a serious game changer. As it was we were left with Psycho. Had Bonnie Tyler taken a compass with her to France all those years ago, then she might not have ended up needing directions.
Had Colonel Mustard not taken the lead piping into the conservatory after Miss Scarlet entered — well, you know the rest.
Decisions – we all have to make ‘em.
Indeed, someone once worked out Joe or Josephine Average makes 612 calls a day, some more important than others.
For new Wales coach Wayne Pivac the key decision is how swiftly should be the move towards a new style of play after the Warren Gatland years. Get the timing wrong and much of the good of the past decade and more could unravel. Get it right and Wales could go from strength to strength while becoming easier on the eye.
A QUESTION OF STYLE...
THE challenge for Pivac is to retain the indomitable spirit instilled by Gatland and Shaun Edwards, but also to sharpen the Welsh attack. Last year, Wales took the Six Nations silverware while scoring just 10 tries throughout their campaign.
Once again, it was their defence and resilience that saw them home, with their line crossed just seven times.
It was as much a granite slam as a Grand Slam.
That is in no way to knock it. A winner to his core, Gatland did an outstanding job during his 12 years, with four Six Nations titles, including three clean sweeps. Supporters who remembered where Wales were in the pre-Gatland years appeared happy as long as the silverware kept coming in.
In that sense, the results justified the means.
Pivac’s challenge is to put a fresh sheen on matters.
But it won’t be easy.
Wales found it hard when age gripped their great team of the late 1970s. Legends departed one after another, some on the same day, and if one or two were ably replaced – no-one could have done any better than Terry Holmes when following Gareth Edwards – many were not.
Best results are usually achieved by ensuring the transition process is done gradually rather than suddenly, with new faces introduced slowly, allowing them to learn the ropes alongside more experienced hands.
But it isn’t a precise science and it is always fiendishly difficult to oversee without problems.
Where Pivac is fortunate is that a number of his old stagers seem to
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have plenty of life left in them yet. Ken Owens had an outstanding World Cup and continues have a huge emotional input in the Wales set-up, while Alun Wyn Jones remains a leader and second row of
huge stature. The slightly younger brigade of Justin Tipuric and Dan Biggar are also showing no signs of wilting. It will be intriguing to see how they adapt to changes the new coach might make.
Wales’ players are used to the hard-nosed, uncompromising, lowrisk rugby of the Gatland era and a new mode of playing might take some getting used to. It’s why an evolutionary approach might be more advisable than one that involves dynamiting everything and acclaiming Year Zero.
CONTINUITY AND CHANGE
INJURIES haven’t done much for continuity from last year’s Six Nations, with Pivac fielding a side that contains only half-a-dozen starters from the Slam clincher against Ireland in March: George North, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams, Owens, Jones and Tipuric.
Taulupe Faletau’s return will help matters no end, and the return of Rhys Webb to the squad isn’t going to hurt, either.
There are also some exciting additions to the set-up, including Johnny
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