The sacking of Unai Emery by Arsenal, one day before Wayne Pivac’s first match as Wales’s head coach against the Barbarians, was another reminder of the perils of taking over from an institution. High expectations mean a very short honeymoon period, which is why one of the contenders to succeed Warren Gatland ruled himself out, saying privately that there would be a greater chance of longevity waiting for the next vacancy.
He reckoned that might only be two years given how quickly in the past the Welsh rugby public had turned on coaches. Pivac, along with his management team, has signed a four-year contract, but it contains a break clause in 2021. Gatland lasted 12 years, a record for a tier one coach in the professional era, and delivered sustained success to a nation used to famine being interrupted by the occasional feast.
Pivac will be judged by the Gatland era, not the mess that existed before: Gatland was appointed in 2007 after a World Cup campaign ended prematurely at the hands of a Fiji team that at the start of that year had been coached by Pivac only for him to return to New Zealand for family reasons. He will have to add rather than take away and, having arrived after five years in charge of the Scarlets, he will be susceptible to tribalism in a way his predecessor, who arrived from Waikato via Wasps and Ireland, was not.
Which may explain his first selection. Pivac – without a number of injured, rested and England-based players – named seven Scarlets in the starting line-up, ensuring his former region did not take up more than half the quota by opting for Tomos Williams at scrum-half rather than Gareth Davies and he gave the captaincy to an Osprey, Justin Tipuric, rather than a leader he knows well, Ken Owens.
He has promised to be different from Gatland in terms of style. Wales for the past 12 years have based their game on defence, finding it their best means of attack, although when opponents failed to engage, such as South Africa in last month’s World Cup semi-final, they struggled to respond. While Gatland, like the former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, had extensive experience of coaching in Europe before taking over, Pivac is very much a product of the southern hemisphere, spending the first 17 years of his career there, and when the Scarlets won their league three years ago they did so in swashbuckling style.
The regions’ attack coach then, Stephen Jones, is part of Pivac’s management team. “I am looking forward to the style of play they are implementing which will suit me and a few others,” said the outside-half Jarrod Evans, who plays for Cardiff Blues. “It is an exciting time and there have been a lot of smiles on faces in camp. We have spoken about keeping some of the things Warren has done well here and changing a few others.”
It will almost be a handover at the Principality Stadium with Gatland in charge of the Barbarians and saying farewell to a country he says will always be a part of him. Wales are not awarding caps, unlike past matches against the Barbarians, but it will be important for Pivac to start with a victory given who he is up against and the underwhelming opponents Wales are facing.
“There has been quite a lot of learning for the squad this week,” said Pivac. “We have provided clarity on what we are trying to do, but we have also stressed the enjoyment factor of being together for the first time and the excitement of not only this weekend but the future.”
At least the former policeman does not have to arrest a decline, which was Gatland’s task 12 years ago; within four months of his arrival Wales were celebrating the grand slam. The fixtures are the same for Pivac next year, but England at Twickenham looks considerably more demanding while the last Six Nations victory in Dublin was in 2012. And a two-Test tour to New Zealand follows in the summer.
“Wayne needs time to put his personality and imprint on the squad,” said Gatland. “It will take a bit of time and that is why I felt it was important he was in charge against the Barbarians rather than me having a farewell. You have your ups and downs and it is not going to be smooth sailing all the time. I think I left Wales in a pretty good place compared to when I started and I hope they are able to take it to another level.”
Pivac, unlike Gatland, has to manage expectation and a rugby economy that is overly reliant on the national side doing well. His honeymoon begins, and ends, this weekend.
