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Wales highlight the most improved aspect of their play in 2021 and salute Alun Wyn Jones' influence this week

(Photo by Getty Images)

With chasing a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam an experience that is all very new to Wales coach Wayne Pivac, he has been more than happy to allow veteran skipper Alun Wyn Jones to do some heavy lifting in motivating the team for this Saturday’s round five finale away to France.

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Having been around since 2006, Jones, the world’s most-capped Test player ever with 147 Wales appearances and another nine for the Lions, is old hat when it comes to getting ready for these big occasions.

He has been involved in their three Grand Slams of recent vintage as well as the 2013 Six Nations title win, so it’s no wonder that the 35-year-old’s voice has been crystal clear in geeing up his Wales team this week to go and win in Paris with an XV showing one change from last weekend in Rome, Adam Beard taking over from Cory Hill at lock.

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England World Cup winner Neil Back guests on RugbyPass Offload with Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson

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England World Cup winner Neil Back guests on RugbyPass Offload with Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson

“There is a lot of little conversations that go on between coaches and players and in little groups within the team,” explained Wales boss Pivac. “Those conversations have taken place. I know Alun Wyn, in one of his chats earlier in the week, talked about that exact thing.

“Saturday is when we need to bring all the mental energy and physically be right so this week is really about getting the boys to Saturday with a full tank of gas. We need to make sure we don’t over-train and overplay the game and think the game too early on.”

Asked to be more specific about the content of Jones’ patter, Pivac added: “We don’t want to give too much away but certainly it is just good coming from the older head, some words of wisdom from his point of view that is shared with the younger players. He has got so much experience. When he does talk in these situations everybody listens and it’s invaluable having him.”

Pivac’s first year in the job as Wales coach wasn’t kind, a six-match losing streak igniting allegations that he had lost the dressing room. However, he managed to see out 2020 with wins over minnows Georgia and Italy sandwiched by a Llanelli loss to England and hasn’t looked back since, that autumnal pain turning into a springtime flourish.

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“Probably the set-piece,” replied Pivac when quizzed on the aspect that has been the greatest 2021 improvement in Wales’ play. “In the autumn there was a lot of rotation. We were learning about players and it was a conscious effort to do that.

“With that came a bit of pain but certainly our scrum is improving, the discipline at scrum time is improving, our shape is really good, we’re working together, our lineout has improved. So the set-piece is a big one.

“As we saw in the autumn when that is not functioning as well as you would like it puts a lot of pressure on your attack and conversely it gives a lot of ball to the opposition. Your defence is overworked at times. That is probably the big thing. Obviously, our defence has tightened up as well and you wrap it all up with good discipline.”

The return to rude health of seasoned pair Ken Owens and Josh Navidi has also been pivotal to that pack improvement. “They are very, very good players. Ken has got the most caps as a hooker. That’s invaluable and he is a class player with and without the ball and away from the set-piece.

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“Josh is a player who has had his injuries in the last season or two but when he is out there and he gets a run of games together he is one of the players who is world-class. We are very pleased to have both players back.”

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J
JPM 21 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 24 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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