The Wayne Pivac interview: The man I think should coach Wales and the job I'd like in Welsh rugby

Wales Online

28-05-2025

The Wayne Pivac interview: The man I think should coach Wales and the job I'd like in Welsh rugby
Former Wales coach Wayne Pivac chats exclusively to WalesOnline
Former Wales boss Wayne Pivac is on the lookout for a new job
(Image: PA )
Wayne Pivac knows better than most how tough the Welsh rugby landscape can be. The 62-year-old led Wales to a Six Nations title in 2021 and a historic first win over South Africa on their own turf a year later.
Yet, despite those highs, he was dismissed just months before the 2023 World Cup—his fate sealed after a shock home defeat to Georgia. Prior to his appointment as Wales coach Pivac was the second coming in the eyes of many Welsh rugby fans after leading the Scarlets to the PRO12 title and a Champions Cup semi-final in scintillating fashion.
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But the cracks had already begun appearing in Welsh rugby prior to his appointment as national coach. And if they were beginning to show when Pivac was in charge, by the time his predecessor Warren Gatland became his successor they had blown apart with a run of 17 straight defeats.
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Speaking from his home in Japan, where he recently decided to part ways with NEC Green Rockets, Pivac warns Welsh rugby it must change if it is to become a successful rugby nation again. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
"I felt a little bit of frustration watching the team after I left, especially post the World Cup," Pivac tells WalesOnline. "I thought they did well in the World Cup but it was really after that, seeing the further decline, results-wise.
"That was frustrating knowing what we were dealing with towards the end of my tenure there. To see more of the same and things get worse if anything it was frustrating.
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"I think most people can now see it is not one person's fault or a couple of coaches. I arrived in Wales in 2014 and some of the same issues we were dealing with back then are still prevalent over a decade later."
Pivac is in part referring to the state of the professional game below the national side.
Wales' four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - have not tasted consistent success for a number of years, while there has never been full alignment with the WRU.
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Welsh rugby continues to shoot itself in the foot with both the Ospreys and Scarlets refusing to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement as a result of the WRU's acquisition of Cardiff Rugby, throwing the game into despair to the point where a reduction of professional clubs is a very real possibility.
"We need to look at the number of teams and what, from a high-performance perspective, is the best way to go," said Pivac. "This will upset a few people but I think we were very close to a structure which would have been great for Welsh rugby back in 2019.
"That was going to be combining the Scarlets and the Ospreys along with creating a professional team in north Wales. If you looked at both those squads at the time we would have had a team very similar to Leinster.
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"It would have been full of Welsh internationals. Also, imagine putting together a coaching team which included the likes of myself, Stephen Jones and Steve Tandy.
"It would have been a very strong coaching and playing group if we'd all come together. It was pretty exciting at the time, to be honest.
"I also think starting a team in north Wales geographically would have worked a lot better. It came so close but fell over at the last hurdle.
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"Those sorts of discussions have been going on for a long time. When money slowly declines and is unavailable something has to give. I don't know how you can maintain the same number of professional players and see the standards drop and not make some changes.
"From a national squad point of view, you want your players coming into camp off the back of doing well in the Champions Cup. Whether we go down to three teams or adopt a 2+2 funding model, something has got to change, in my opinion."
One thing which will change over the next few months is the Wales coaching team with the WRU on the lookout for Gatland's long-term successor.
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Cardiff boss Matt Sherratt will lead Wales to Japan this summer with Danny Wilson (forwards), Adam Jones (scrum) and T. Rhys Thomas (skills) chosen as his assistants.
As a previous head coach of Wales, and having been involved at regional level for a number of years, Pivac is the perfect man to give his view on what the WRU should do.
"Straight off the bat I think Steve Tandy would be a great appointment," he said. "He's Welsh, he's coached regionally, he understands all of the issues Welsh coaches would be facing coming into the job, he has had international experience and done a very good job with Scotland.
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"I know when I was coaching Wales Steve was always good to catch up with. I think he'd do a very good job.
"I think Stephen Jones would have to be invited back, if it was down to me, because I think he's got so much to offer. But whoever the head coach is, they'll put together their own team.
"Matt Sherratt has done a good job and is doing a fantastic job with Cardiff. It would be hard not to find a position there if he wanted it.
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"I think there are some very capable people coaching in Wales and I think that's important to coach the Welsh team.
"I think it was a no-brainer for Warren to keep Stephen on after I left, especially as he used him as his attack coach when Wales reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2019, after Rob (Howley) was relieved of his duties. He did a really good job there.
"I was really surprised Warren didn't keep him on, so there'd be some continuity between two groups especially as he'd been away for a couple of years. That was surprising for me but I think he has a lot to offer.
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"I think Stephen has the ability, if he wants to go down that path in the future, to be a head coach. But he's done a good job in the past as an attack coach, he's done a great job with Moana Pasifika."
Pivac has experienced the rough and the smooth as a coach but is an extremely experienced campaigner.
After a two-year stint in Japan with NEC Green Rockets the former Auckland and Fiji coach is on the look out for a new challenge and wouldn't rule out a return to Wales.
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"I'm going to be really interested to see what the WRU do with the next coaching group," he said.
"I've got an idea of what I think might happen but if some of the current crew who are going to Japan end up staying on, then you could probably see Cardiff looking for some new coaches.
"Having lived in that area, that's something if it did come up I'd be interested in having a conversation around. You'll have some teams with a three-to-five-year development plan in place and they'll want somebody to head that.
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"Realistically at my age I'm not looking for three to five year contracts.
"I'm probably more around the two-to-three-year contracts, where I can go in to help a club but not just helping achieve better results and developing rugby players but also the succession plan for coaching."
The former Wales coach is now a free agent having departed NEC Green Rockets and is open to opportunities both in Japan and the northern hemisphere. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
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Pivac is hugely passionate about mentoring coaches and is adamant he could add great value as a director of rugby, helping progress the career of a young head coach.
"It's something I've been talking about a lot behind the scenes with a few people at the moment," Pivac admitted. "Some people wouldn't want an ex-coach in there thinking they might want to take over one day and they could actually be an issue for you.
"But if you get the right person who has been there and done it who also understands what it takes and what players need to focus on then they can be of great assistance as long as you've got a rapport with a head coach.
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"It's a bit like David Nucifora who used to be a head coach but he loves that role he's in now. That's a role I would really enjoy doing and for me it would be a good fit in Wales.
"Having a person assisting the development of the game in Wales who has coached the national team and understands all the strengths and weaknesses of the union and what needs to be done to improve the game.
"I want to develop young coaches so that's how I want to finish my coaching career. I want to help a team create a succession plan of coaching that can help young coaches and young players."
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Welsh rugby is at its lowest point since the game turned professional with Wales having lost 17 Test matches on the bounce - a record for a tier one nation.
Wales travel to Japan this summer desperate to get back to winning ways. Pivac believes it will be a tough challenge for Wales but he does see some green shoots of encouragement.
"The big thing that is going to confront the Welsh this summer is going to be the conditions," he said. "That's the first thing to get used to.
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"I'd be wrapping the boys up in rubbish bags underneath their jerseys to make them sweat a bit because it is going to be very hot over here. The humidity will also be up.
"The Japanese like to play with speed. Generally speaking the games over here are usually high scoring.
"There's a lot of ball movement and Eddie Jones watching them play against the All Blacks live earlier on in the year - even though they got beaten convincingly - they threw the ball around a lot.
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"They were also very quick on turnover transitions, so Wales will have to be on the money defensively."
Having gone through some pain Pivac is confident Wales' young talent will begin to turn the corner over the next couple of seasons. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
"If you look at Dewi Lake when he gets a season injury free he's going to be a quality international rugby player," he said.
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"When guys get 30 Test matches under their belt is when you start to build your career at international level. It's not in your first 10 to 15 caps you've got to get that experience under your belt.
"There's a lot of guys now who are at that stage. I've been very impressed with Blair Murray who has scored a lot of tries and is an exciting rugby player.
"There's some good young ones coming through. I like what they are doing at 10 with the likes of Ben Thomas. I think a guy in the team who can play 10 and 12 is very handy to have.
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"There's some good quality young players coming through in Wales but it is really hard when a lot of those young players get thrust into international rugby at the same time.
"We've had a turnover of some very experienced players and there's a lot of young guys in there at the moment but they will be much better for that experience."
Wayne Pivac understands Welsh rugby's struggles, but his experience and coaching expertise mean he still has plenty to offer—whether in Wales or anywhere else looking to rebuild.