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Evans admits pressure over Wales review

By Ben Coles

Ieuan Evans, the new Welsh Rugby Union chairman, has conceded that the governing body cannot wait too long if it wants to replace Wayne Pivac as head coach.

Wales were beaten by Georgia and Australia – with the Wallabies coming back from 21 points down to win – to finish their autumn campaign in disappointing fashion and put Pivac under huge pressure.

Warren Gatland, the former Wales head coach, has been linked with a shock return to the role, less than 10 months before the World Cup in France.

Evans, the former Wales and British and Irish Lions wing, admitted that results in the autumn had been “disappointing”.

A review is being carried out into the campaign, but when pressed as to whether the WRU needed to act quickly should it want to reappoint Gatland, Evans insisted the review had to be concluded.

“We’ve got to let it run its course. I understand the speculation. The autumn was disappointing. You can’t hide away from that fact, and neither should you. If I was that side [the media] and doing what you do, I’d be speculating as well, as everyone does. But the review has to run its course.”

Asked when it might conclude, Evans said: “There isn’t a timeline on that. But we understand the pressures and the timing. We’d be naive not to think about that.

“Every sportsman uses the cliche, but it’s about ‘learnings’. The Six Nations is eight weeks away. It’s no time at all. Not long after that, the World Cup starts.

“By the way, I think it could well be the greatest World Cup – it’s just got that sign that it could be sensational. But we need to be competitive there and make sure that when we come back, we can judge whatever happens as a massive success.”

First Test

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2022-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-02T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281797108017798

Daily Telegraph