Gatland gives Pivac’s new Wales regime tough start
A throaty farewell to Warren Gatland, a rather croaky hello from Wayne Pivac.
The Wales succession was always in danger of being an unsettling experience – what with the national hero who left the hot seat just a few weeks ago being the new man’s first opposing coach – and the fact Leigh Halfpenny was obliged to kick a penalty, with minutes remaining, emphasised how uncomfortable it might have proved.
In an 11-try encounter, the Barbarians did what the they always do, offloading their way back from 26 points down, with 25 minutes left, to get within a score in just eight minutes.
Pivac will simply be relieved that his first game was a win.
“We’re pretty happy with scoring 43 points but conceding 33 means there’s a lot to look at,” Pivac said. “This week has been really invaluable to us. We have put together some of the building blocks for the Six Nations.”
Johnny McNicholl was an obvious highlight. This was the New Zealandborn wing’s first outing in a Wales shirt after qualifying through residency and the 29-year-old’s first-half try was the very least he deserved. With Ken Owens and Josh Adams, the World Cup’s top try-scorer, grabbing two apiece, the attack looked extremely sharp. However, with Wales losing defence coach Shaun Edwards as well as Gatland, defence will be a concern. The tourists’ tries came from Shaun Stevenson, Craig Millar and Peter Samu .
The fans gave both Gatland and retiring Ireland hooker Rory Best, rousing ovations in recognition of their services to the game over many years.
The Baa-Baas XV featured eight South Africans, two Australians and one each from Fiji, Ireland, Scotland, France and Canada. And no English.
“This has been a special part of me for the last 12 years,” Gatland said. “The competitive edge in me wanted to win – we weren’t able to do that but it was a great game of rugby. And it was brilliant for the new regime to win.”