Six Nations 2022: Wales coach Wayne Pivac blames discipline and physicality for Ireland loss - BBC Sport
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac blames ill-discipline and losing the physical battles for the Six Nations defeat against Ireland.
Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac says ill-discipline and losing physical battles led to their 29-7 defeat against Ireland in their Six Nations opener.

Outclassed Wales arrived at the Aviva Stadium to begin their title defence, but were dominated from start to finish on a torrid afternoon in Dublin.

The only consolation was a converted try from Taine Basham.

"No-one's happy with defeat, we came here wanting to win so they're all very disappointed," said Pivac.

Diminished Wales had travelled without a host of injured star names, including captain Alun Wyn Jones and the loss of almost 700 caps of experience, whish showed in a one-sided affair.

"We can't go back in time in terms of the players missing, we need to learn our lessons from today and this is the squad we've got," said Pivac.

"We talked about what we needed to do in that game from the outset and that was to match them physically and our discipline needed to be spot on.

"We didn't achieve that. In the first 20 minutes of the game, the penalty count was off and we let them into both halves very cheaply.

"We have got to make sure we are working hard, and there is no doubt the boys will want to improve in those areas."

Pivac believes those issues led to unforced errors in the struggling attacking game.

"When you make over 100 tackles in a half a bit of fatigue does set in," added Pivac.

"It happens to any side. I thought the boys came back very strongly in that last quarter of the game and kept fighting towards the end which we want."

Wales centre Josh Adams was shown a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Ireland captain Johnny Sexton with Ireland scoring two second-half tries with the extra man.

"Going a player down certainly doesn't help but we've got to regroup and be better," added Pivac.

"It's one of those things. Seeing it live the referee thought it was fine, two players colliding. The ball went one way and Josh has gone the other. He's picked up a yellow card and we move on."

Pivac insisted the experiment of playing wing Adams in the centre was justified, while he says Louis Rees-Zammit was fit to play after picking up an ankle injury in the warm-up.

"I think Josh saved us on a number of occasions," said Pivac.

"It's easy to talk about the people out wide but it's what goes on inside first, how quick we are to react at the first breakdown and the numbers we get on the far side of the ruck, the near side if they switch back or not. I think to single out one person is not the right thing to do.

"You'll find when you break this game down that he didn't go too badly at all."

Wales will host Scotland next Saturday looking to revive any title challenge.

"We certainly look forward to getting back home, there is no doubt about that," added Pivac.

"A full house at the Principality Stadium, there is nothing better and it certainly lifts the boys."

Pivac says he will consider any changes, especially in the forwards with the potential addition of Ross Moriarty helping the physicality problems.

"We will need to review the game first and foremost because I think we were a little bit better than maybe some of the stats might have indicated in that area of the game," added Pivac.

"Everyone's game gets looked at, and we will look to get the job done against Scotland."