A Six Nations tournament in the year of a Lions tour always adds extra spice, but for Wayne Pivac it might just be food that keeps him alive, according to Harri Morgan. With Lions places dangled on a string in front of them, he expects a few Wales players to step forward.
As a fan, with designs on following the Lions to the southern tip of Africa, my preference would be for a postponement until 2022.
The ‘+1’ approach is conceptually simple.
Rugby? simple?
Never.
Stakeholders with louder voices and busier calendars than my own, have interests (cash) to protect and commitments (cash) to honour, which render the 12-month shunt unattractive.
The ‘Australia deal’ seems a logical means of maximising revenue and protecting the exclusive mystique of the brand, whilst ensuring the tour happens this year.
Australia has had fans back in stadiums for months, and if they can continue to crush mini pandemic outbreaks, with Morse-like precision, their offering presents a much higher probability of crowd population than the home unions.
I’m not talking about the Lions and Boks going at it to a backdrop Waltzing Matilda and Mexican waves.
There are a heap of British, Irish and South African migrants who would not only make sure tickets were purchased, but also provide an appropriate accompanying atmosphere.
I suspect Wayne Pivac would be a huge fan of the ‘let’s get it done approach’ to the Lions.
His interest? His livelihood. A Lions tour this year can motivate candidates so far performing below potential. And Wales have a few of those.
So, the here and now is important to Pivac over the next few weeks. The selection of Dan Lydiate for the upcoming Six Nations campaign is evidence, if it was needed, that ‘management-speak’ such as evolution and development will fall on deaf ears, if uttered in the absence of results come April.
With reports of a contractual rip cord available to his bosses, Pivac needs his big names to produce big performances. Immediately and consistently.
To use a McGeechan-ism, he needs his Test match animals to be ferocious – in an accurate and disciplined way. The prospect of a Lions tour might be the carrot certain players didn’t know they needed.
The importance to Wales of the best players tabling their best performances was exemplified in the autumn by the incremental progression of Taulupe Faletau – from passenger against Scotland to influencer in the fifth place final defeat of Italy.
It made a mighty difference.
Not only to the Bath back row’s Lions prospects but also to his side’s ability to get on the front foot. A must, if Wales have intentions of playing fast and wide.
Scrap that – front foot footy is a must for winning Test matches. Unless Shaun Edwards is bossing your defence.
In terms of who will flank Faletau, it may have been the name of a forgotten hero, which got the bold, italic and underline treatment from the media when the 2021 edition of the Welsh Six Nations squad was released.
However, when it comes to re-establishing prominence at the crash and bash of the gain line, it is the return of a bloke who once grafted in the shadow of Lydiate, Faletau, Tipuric and the other guy, which gives most cause for optimism.
Josh Navidi may have been conspicuous in his absence from a Welsh perspective during the autumn. However, his time out to recuperate from concussion allowed others opportunity to grab Warren Gatland’s attention.
On the Lions front, it is likely now or never for the 30-year-old Navidi. Expect his return to provide his current coach with a much needed point of difference, whilst giving his former boss a timely reminder of an all-action approach well suited to combating big Bok ball-carriers.
If Wales are to prevent Ireland from successfully copying and pasting a game plan which squeezed the life out of the visitors in Dublin back in November, they need to establish the set piece as a reliable source of possession.
If Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton get a sniff of vulnerability they are well versed in how to exploit it.
Enter, ‘The Sheriff’ – a Lions deputy in 2017 – the hope, if not expectation, is that Ken Owens will prove to be the variable to fix a dysfunctional line-out.
As for the scrum, your guess is as good as mine – and the referee’s.
If Wales can secure the set piece, the scrutiny will shift to how they utilise it.
As with any Wales selection the public debate will focus on who dons the 10 jumper. His all-round offering will likely see, Dan (Biggar) remain the man, despite Callum Sheedy and Jarrod Evans being the horses for Pivac’s attacking course.
The greater dilemma for the coaching panel might come in midfield.
Jonathan Davies is yet to find anything approaching peak performance, since returning from an elongated spell rehabbing the knee injury he picked up against Fiji in the World Cup pool stage.
That was damage he sustained in the act of off-loading to Josh Adams for a try, following a trademark fend-facilitated outside break.
The type of play, which reinforced his status as a world class operator.
Time and again, the Lion known as Fox has shown he’s a Test match animal for Wales as a weapon in both attack and defence.
It will be difficult for the selectors to avoid the ‘I know that was then, but it could be again’ mindset, when assessing if he is the man for the job this time around.
Class is permanent – a theory Davies will be desperate for an opportunity to prove.
An alternative option would be to continue with George North at 13. He showed well in the centre in his last outing for the national side and has looked to be back towards his hungry and physically dominant best for the Ospreys, albeit on the wing.
If North is a must have, the opportunity cost of him taking a wing berth is losing the speed threat offered by either Louis Rees-Zammit or Josh Adams – both of whom might fancy themselves as contenders for a spot on the Lions plane, bus or train this summer.
If Pivac has five matches to secure the next two years on his contract, he has a dependency on getting big games from his biggest names.
In turn, the big names need big games if they want to establish or re-establish their Lions credentials.
Simple.
The only complexity is three opposition teams packed full of players chasing the same dream – and a France outfit who seem to have located consistency.
Spiacente, Italia.