They’re on the coach party... but are Pivac and Co enjoying journey so far?

IT’S been exactly a month since Wales’ final Six Nations match was called off with 24 hours to go.

It was unquestionably the right decision, given the situation we find ourselves in now. But it did leave Wales’ first tournament under a new head coach left unresolved.

It’s not yet clear when Wayne Pivac and his new coaching ticket will complete their first campaign in charge of Wales.

However, it doesn’t look likely to be resolved soon. So, we can only draw conclusions on what we’ve seen so far.

Here’s how Pivac and the rest of the new coaches rated from their first campaign...

Wayne Pivac (head coach): CFollowing Warren Gatland is no mean feat. The Kiwi brought unprecedented success in over a decade as Wales coach.

One journalist quipped to me before the changing of the guard last year that the man who would know how the incoming Pivac would be feeling was none other than David Moyes.

Referring to the man who failed to step into Sir Alex Ferguson’s shoes at Manchester United might be a little harsh, but the first campaign in charge will have provided those who expect Pivac to fail with ammunition.

He may come to regret the PR offensive he and his fellow coaches went on with their attitude to the scrum - pleading they were whiter than white when it came to the set-piece, despite penalty counts saying otherwise.

Many think the scale of the task is too much for the former Scarlets head honcho.

Three consecutive defeats in this year’s Six Nations – the first time Wales have suffered three in a row since 2007 under Gareth Jenkins will do little to convince them otherwise.

But, it’s important to remember that Ireland and England were away from home, while France was a match that Wales might have won on another day.

Under Gatland, Wales had a knack of winning games they didn’t always deserve to.

That France game was an example of one that they probably deserved, but didn’t get across the line.

However, Pivac is trying to change the way Wales play. That’ll take time. To say there weren’t any positive signs would be a fallacy.

Welsh rugby isn’t always the most forgiving when it comes to patience, though.

Stephen Jones (attack): B

Ever since the Scarlets won the PRO12 in swashbuckling fashion three years ago, Stephen Jones inheriting the Welsh attack coach role has seemed something of an inevitability.

So how has the former Wales captain performed in his first full campaign?

Again, it was something of a mixed bag for the former fly-half.

At times, Wales looked fluent in attack - as shown by their destruction of Italy or Tomos Williams’ try against Ireland in Dublin.

Plus, they look inventive on first-phase ball and from set-pieces, a clear change of calls brought about by Jones.

But, too often in the championship, Wales looked a little toothless. It’s hard to lay too much of that at Jones’ door.

Wales lack ball-carriers, plus their work generating ruck speed is still short of where it should be.

Byron Hayward: D+

If Pivac had it tough replacing Gatland, then Byron Hayward has the thankless task of stepping into Shaun Edwards’ boots. Many Wales fans are disgruntled that Edwards wasn’t convinced to stay by the WRU and are aiming that frustration at the former Scarlets