Experience to hold key for Pivac’s men to unlock French

ONCE, the story goes, Penarth RFC’s forwards were packing down for a scrum when one of their number starting singing – as you do.

A team-mate joined in and before long the entire Seasiders’ eight were operating in perfect harmony: baritones, tenors, bass, the lot.

Supporters that night were treated to the sight and sound of a singing scrum. Had Harry Secombe featured at tight-head prop, the picture would have been complete.

For sure, rugby was a lot simpler when it came to set-piece matters in those days.

Trek back even further.

In the early years of the last century, we are told by the Little Book of the Six Nations, one referee solved the problems of a recalcitrant setpiece “by booting its erring members up their backsides every time they packed down”.

Well, it beats waiting for a detailed report from World Rugby and a war of words in the press amid allegations of cheating.

What are we to make of the WalesFrance media-conference fun and games this week?

Not much.

For those who have been away on mini-breaks to Mars, Wales piled into the French with complaints about their scrummaging, with Wyn Jones reckoning they “hit and chase and cheat”. Forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys dragged Ireland into the argument by contending that Tadhg Furlong had de-stabilised the setpiece when Wales played, and lost, at the Aviva Stadium two weeks back.

Cue many headlines and much chatter pondering the validity of the claims.

France hit back, as you knew they would, with Fabien Galthie accusing Wales of a lack of respect – a lack of respect for their scrum, for their team, for French rugby and for the French nation. He didn’t quite say Wales had disrespected the Eiffel Tower, Charles Aznavour, croissants, Saint Tropez and Joan of Arc, but, hey, there’s still time.

Were Wales wise to venture forth onto the altogether unpredictable

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terrain of mind games? Some would say ‘good on them: if the French are cheating then let the referee know in advance, so he can head it off at the pass’.

Others would argue that the Welsh set-up have left themselves open to the charge of whinging, never a good look in rugby... or any other sport, for that matter.

But let’s agree that few sides are completely legal when it comes to the pushing and shoving game. It’s all very well wanting “to paint good pictures”, as Wayne Pivac said this week, but when the pressure comes on a tight-head and it’s too much to bear, the temptation to turn in and de-stabilise a scrum will be irresistible.

Perhaps we can agree, too, that scrummaging is an art.

And if the art fails, then do something else.

Eddie Butler once suggested a good set-piece had a quiver to it as it flexed before lift-off. If that didn’t work? “Then do whatever it takes for it to work,” Butler reported the legendary

Pontypool RFC coach Ray Prosser as saying with a chuckle.

Will Wales be able to cope against France come scrum-time on Saturday? Well, England destroyed the French in that area in round one. That should at least offer Dillon Lewis and Wyn Jones hope.

It’s set to be a fascinating contest at the Principality Stadium, pitting French youth against Welsh experience. Galthie has started to build in earnest for the next World Cup, shedding all but one player over the age of 30 and hoping the importance of experience has been vastly overrated.

Pivac is operating more gradually, with pretty much everyone retained from the World Cup. At some point, maybe before 2023, the likes of Ken Owens and Alun Wyn Jones will be replaced, but not just yet. So the coach has presented to the world the most-experienced side in history to take the field in the Six Nations.

He will have reasoned that the tipping point for his stalwarts is some way off.

Skipper Jones played as well as always in Dublin, galloping around the field and flinging out offloads. He’s made 37 tackles in two games in this tournament so far, with the ageing process seemingly something that happens to others.

Justin Tipuric and Dan Biggar, two more 30-somethings, are also on top of their games, while Owens remains uncompromising and durable, a man you’d want on your side in the trenches.

Then there’s Hadleigh Parkes. While other Welsh backs were sending out distress signals at the Aviva Stadium, the old midfield hand kept his cool, making good decisions, putting in his tackles and doing what he could to repel the Irish tide.

When a man has played through a World Cup with a broken hand, as Parkes did, it takes a lot to ruffle him.

Wales will hope such composure remains the order of the day against a French centre pairing that contains Virimi Vakatawa, an individual who’s capable of crashing through a brick wall, sidestepping two opponents beyond it and using his sprinter’s pace (11.3secs over 100 metres, since you ask) to catch an express train that’s pulling out of a station.

If Nick Tompkins comes through this test, then those harbouring doubts about his ability to cope in international rugby will have to retreat from the fray.

But maybe an even bigger threat still to Welsh hopes is the man who’ll wear the opposition No.9 jersey in Cardiff.

Antoine Dupont is only 23, yet already in this tournament he has destroyed England, with one