Here are the latest rugby headlines on Thursday, November 24.
Odds released on Pivac successor
Bookmakers have released the first odds on Wayne Pivac's potential successor as Wales coach, even though the Kiwi is still the man at the helm.
The under-fire Welsh boss today names his team to face Australia at the weekend knowing he needs to find a winning formula as pressure builds after the disastrous defeat to Georgia. Follow live Wales team announcement updates here.
WIN: Free tickets to watch Wales v Australia in the final autumn international
Wales will end the international year - one which has been scarred by home losses to Georgia and Italy - by targeting a fourth successive victory over the Wallabies. Saturday's defeat to the Georgians was described within the camp as one of Welsh rugby's darkest days and has led to pundits and fans demanding change by the WRU.
The clamour has prompted DragonBet to compile odds on who they think the next Wales coach will be.
They have installed New Zealander Scott Robertson as the 2/1 favourite. He has achieved remarkable success in Super Rugby with the Crusaders, but is also a target for England and appears next in line to replace Ian Foster as All Blacks coach.
Next up is Warren Gatland (5/1), who is being tipped as a potential interim coach until after the 2023 World Cup if the WRU decide to pull the trigger on Pivac's contract. Gatland's return would be remarkable in many ways, but as a short-term measure his familiarity with the players and Welsh rugby would make sense for many.
Other contenders named in the odds are Ronan O'Gara (7/1), current forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys (8/1) and Cardiff Rugby director of rugby Dai Young (9/1).
Pivac will put the speculation to one side to focus on the clash with the Wallabies. There will be a possible recall for world record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones, with No. 8 Taulupe Faletau poised to make his 100th Test appearance as Pivac is set to rely heavily on experience. Six expected starters - Jones, Faletau, full-back Leigh Halfpenny, centre George North, hooker Ken Owens and captain Justin Tipuric - have 626 Wales caps between them.
Wales have won just three games from 11 starts this year and there is a piercing spotlight on WRU chiefs, who must decide whether a change of coach is the right response just 10 months out from a World Cup.
'Dragons can spring surprise in South Africa'
The Dragons have their best chance of claiming a landmark scalp in South Africa in the United Rugby Championship this weekend, according to former Springboks captain Bobby Skinstad.
The 42-cap back-rower, who had a spell with the Welsh side back in 2004, thinks the Dragons are in with a shot of becoming the first Welsh side to win a URC game in South Africa when they take on the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday.
“They have won their last two games in the competition while the Lions have been up and down, either on fire or sort of non-committal to arriving at kick-off,” said Skinstad. “So if the Dragons can make a really good start, they will be comfortable that they can knock them over. With the kind of confidence they have, they will think they can go there and win that game.
“What I like about them is they are playing 80-minute games this season whereas they fell off a little bit last season. Of the four Welsh sides this weekend, they would probably be the one that would say ‘let’s go and pick up the five points’. I definitely think it will be the closest of the four games in South Africa this weekend.”
As for the conditions the Dragons will face, Skinstad added: "It’s not quite Newport up there at 1,000 metres above sea level. But if you stay in the game, it’s been proven you can beat it. The second wind becomes the third wind.”
Elsewhere, the Scarlets will take on the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday, with the Ospreys visiting the Bulls at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld the following day and then Cardiff away to the Sharks in Durban on Sunday.
“I would say South Africa would be delighted with four wins, but three out of four is slightly more likely," Skinstad added.
Wales U20s Six Nations tickets released
Tickets have gone on sale for Wales U20s' Six Nations return to Colwyn Bay where they will host defending champions Ireland on Friday, February 3. Their only other home match will be against England in round three on Friday, February 24.
Wales head coach Byron Hayward wants to build on last summer’s success where they reached the final of the U20 Six Nations Summer Series, with squad captain Joe Hawkins, Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza all since earning promotion to Wayne Pivac’s 2022 Autumn Nations Series squad.
Get your brilliant 48-page Wales at the World Cup special - it's a must-have historical souvenir
“Every year we get the boys in the beginning of January, and we’ll show them the history of the boys who have gone on to senior level," Hayward said. "The fact that it has happened so recently for those three which was basically three months after we played in Italy, is a massive motivational factor for them.
"Being in the Wales U20 squad is a realisation that they are close so that is definitely something we will be using as we head into the campaign. We now have a good programme in place and I’m confident we’ll get off to a really competitive start against Ireland."
Seated tickets are £15 for adults and £10 for under-17 concessions. Standing tickets are £10 for adults and £5 under-17 concessions. Accessibility tickets can be purchased via Venue Cymru box office.
England 'hurting' after New Zealand draw
Jamie George believes a confrontation with South Africa offers the perfect opportunity for England's pack to rediscover their edge after being outmuscled by New Zealand. George has revealed that the team are "hurting" from the 25-25 draw, particularly a passive first half in which the All Blacks established a 19-point lead.
South Africa complete the Autumn Nations Series at Twickenham on Saturday and George views the clash with the world champions as the ideal stage for forwards looking to snarl once again.
"That's been the talk all week," George said. "It's the perfect test for us as a front five off the back of a poor performance against New Zealand. The way we scrummaged and mauled is not the England standard and we're fully aware of that.
"Players have been really accountable to that and what better than testing yourself against one of the best packs in the world? We've got a lot of respect for them but we're hurting from our performance at the weekend and we want to make sure we get things right."
READ NEXT:
Graham Price: Wayne Pivac must go and take the rest of his sorry coaching crew with him
Former Wales captain Jones says Wayne Pivac is 'out of his depth' in damning TV verdict
Jamie Roberts calls for change now 'seminal moment' has arrived
New World Rugby rankings see Wales plummet after Georgia humiliation
Louis Rees-Zammit goes mad in Cardiff fan zone after Gareth Bale equaliser
