Pivac gets a tick from top player

Wayne Pivac, Wales' New Zealand replacement for Warren Gatland as national coach, has had the stamp of approval from first five-eighths Dan Biggar.

In four Six Nations games before play stopped due to covid-19, Wales had managed only a win over Italy.

But Biggar told British SKY Sport that Pivac's attractive style of play would be beneficial for Wales as they continued their development through the transitional period between the respective coaching styles of Gatland and Pivac.

Biggar said there were already signs in the side's performances that they were not far off finding the right mix.

"It was always going to be a massive challenge [for Pivac], coming in for Warren Gatland, with the success he had over the last eight to 10 years.

"When you change something that has been in place for so long, it sometimes will take a little bit of time. We just fell short against France, we just fell short against England.

"In a new pattern and a slightly new style of play, I think it's certainly going to help us in terms of playing more attractive rugby and scoring more tries.

"I think that probably takes a couple of campaigns to get used to everything and I'm sure, come the Autumn internationals if we can get back playing, I think you'll see us much stronger," he said.

Financial heavyweight has big plans for world rugby

New Zealanders may not have heard a great deal about the role private equity giant CVC Capital partners is playing in British rugby but signs are they are set to turn their attention to the world game.

CVC has been in talks to secure a 14 percent stake in Six Nations rugby, a deal believed to be worth around 300 million-pound. Television rights had been an issue but it is understood that impediment has been cleared. CVC is also looking for a 27 percent share in the PRO14 competition, worth around 120-million pound. It already has a 27 percent share of England's Premiership worth 200-million pound.

But the Financial Times has reported the company is now in talks with World Rugby and the New Zealand and South African unions which would make CVC the 'biggest commercial player' in rugby.

The newspaper said CVC is looking to bundle the television rights of competitions around the world into a single package. At the same time, it is also studying streaming deals with Amazon to create an over-the-top (OTT) subscription service.

Also on CVC's reported agenda is a Club World Cup tournament similar to that Fifa has in soccer.

The Financial Times reported World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper as saying: "There's an understanding that CVC are an investor in the sport and a supporter of important member unions of ours.

"Therefore, it's best that we work together with them where possible rather than be in a situation that we're not in dialogue."

It is likely that the plans to stage a Nations' Championship will be revisited. It was dropped last year, in spite of its six billion pounds price tag because top-tier countries wouldn't support it.

The Financial Times claimed CVC was in 'advanced discussions' with South Africa. While there have been rumours of the South Africans switching from the Rugby Championship to the Six Nations, that wasn't necessarily part of CVC's plans.

Eddie Jones cops a blast

England coach Eddie Jones faced criticism after his side went down 17-24 to France in the opening round of the Six Nations over the weekend.

France unleashed a dominating first half and got out to a 24-0 lead by the three-quarter mark of the game in Paris.

It was a performance critics said was comparable to their failure in the World Cup final against South Africa in November.

Jones said: "It's like we forgot how to play rugby in the first half. We were slow out of the blocks, we were sorry for ourselves and out of kilter, we let the situation get to us.

"We weren't good enough first half and they were very good. We didn't win the gainline and struggled to get advantage there."

Irish critic and former Wallaby Matt Williams dumped on Jones for his 'arrogance'.

"He said they want to be the best team of all-time. Look at that performance there. Why would you say something stupid like that? Why put the pressure on your players."

Williams said Jones' pre-game comments saying the game was about brutality and physicality had not helped. All they had done was poke the French bear.

"The French came out and they just gave it to them…That's when England fail: they get arrogant and believe they are unbeatable."

Sunday Times writer Stephen Jones said: "In all the key areas of the game until the last quarter, England's promises to be bullies, to savage France in a physical epic, looked ludicrous, pointless. Eddie Jones came across as the braggart with nothing to back it up…This was the best display of French defending I can recall, and by a distance. They forced England to resort to scrummaging and kicking, they shut the attack down completely."

England now travel to Edinburgh to play Scotland at Murrayfield at the weekend.

A World Rugby Championship? Not a bad idea

Among the usual delights in the annual release of the New Zealand Rugby Almanack - the 2018 issue has just hit the bookstands -  is a noteworthy suggestion regarding the future of Test rugby by the editors.

Clive Akers, Geoff Miller and Adrian Hill have suggested that the top 10 teams in the world should play annually to give some credence to World Rugby's rankings.

"Perhaps the time will come, sometime in the future, when consideration will be given for a merger of the northern hemisphere's Six Nations Championship and the southern hemisphere's four-nations Investec Rugby Championship," they said.

That would see each of the 10 nations playing each other, no final would be played but the nation scoring the most championship points after the round-robin would be declared the winner.

With all the talk of a global rugby season, it is something that could almost be achieved within the parameters played now.

In their respective championships, the sides could play each other once, four games could be played in the November window leaving the June window as the chance to complete the series, or to be the start of the next year's competition.

Such a scheme, without a final, would leave the Rugby World Cup as the ultimate prize every four years.

The editors also made their case for some changes to the sending off, or red carding, of players during Test matches.

"Red cards are rare but when issued the contest is defused. Two classic examples have occurred in internationals in recent years.

"At the 2011 World Cup, Welsh captain Sam Warburton was sent off in the 18^th minute of Wales' semi-final clash with France. It was heart-breaking for the Welsh fans who had paid big money to be at Eden Park that day.

"In the second against the 2017 Lions the All Blacks played with 14 players for 56 minutes following the sending off of Sonny Bill Williams. The All Blacks struggled throughout the 65 (sic) minutes. Would the Lions have won the test, and consequently drawn the series, had the test been 15-a-side throughout? We doubt it.

"We would prefer to see even contests and players placed on report for post-match examination, rather than time wasted while officials study television replays before making their decisions. There are instances when a player completely loses control and deserves to be sent to the sideline, but couldn't they be replaced to continue the contest the public have paid to witness?" they said.

That's a sensible discussion point worthy of earnest consideration.

But here's one you won't see included in newspaper reviews, that is if they ever bother to review the Almanack.

The editors expressed their concerns over the loss of sports reporters from regional newspapers.

"While this has little impact in the major cities, it will severely cut the communication between sports and the followers of local sports. Several provincial unions will be hit hard. Some unions do run an efficient and up-to-date website, but many followers of rugby do not use computers.

"The success of local sportspersons and sports teams at national competitions, whether at primary school, secondary school, or senior level, feeds pride within the region. The coming months will be interesting to see how the affected provinces cope with no regular and knowledgeable reporter providing stories of local club and schools rugby and to what extent it impacts on spectator support at games.

"Newspapers have been a way of life to readers ever since the invention of the printing press. Sadly, in many regions sports enthusiasts have lost their connection with local sports," they said.

The traditional Five Players of the Year should find plenty of favour. They were Sam Cane, Rieko Ioane, Waisake Naholo, Codie Taylor and Portia Woodman.

The Promising Players of the Year were: Matthew Johnson Jr (Southland), William Jordon (Tasman), Du Plessie Kirifi (Wellington), Vilimoni Koroi (Otago), Mike Tamoaieta (North Harbour).

The 2018 Rugby Almanack, Edited by Clive Akers, Geoff Miller and Adrian Hill. Published by Mower.