Here's your round-up of all the latest rugby news for Friday, November 11.
AJW defended as speculation over future rumbles on
Wales boss Wayne Pivac insists Alun Wyn Jones remains at the forefront of his plans despite axing him completely for Saturday's clash with Argentina.
Wales' iconic captain, who also led the Lions, has lost his place in Pivac's second row and doesn't even get a place on the bench versus the Pumas.
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That selection choice by Pivac, who wants to look instead at young Ben Carter, led to the Daily Telegraph having a banner headline saying 'Is this the end of the road for Alun Wyn Jones?'
It comes on top of South Africa legend Tendai 'The Beast' Mtawarira claiming 37-year-old Alun Wyn should retire to make way for younger Welsh locks
However, Pivac insists the second row colossus still has plenty to offer in a Wales jersey.
"He has been exceptional, he has trained the house down, which is what you want," said Pivac.
"He is a leader and the leadership group has been running the opposition and running it very, very well. He was at the forefront of it putting pressure on the boys.
"That’s exactly what we need, we are preparing for a very good Argentinean side who are going to be very physical, so we needed that and Al has delivered it very well.
"He still very much understands the importance of every role. You know, for 150-odd Test matches he has had guys doing it for him."
Asked specifically if this was the end of Alun Wyn's international career, Pivac stated: "No, it is around form, what the guys are doing in training and what they can deliver.
"When we get to the World Cup we have to make sure we have got the best four second rows and the ability to start if we have an injury."
Pivac pop at regions over player fitness
Wayne Pivac has questioned the fitness levels of players at the four regions as he insisted two weeks with Wales wasn't enough time to get his stars up to speed to face the All Blacks.
"I think people need to look at where the players have come from and the rugby they’ve been playing in the United Rugby Championship," he said, comparing the time the Wales coaches have just had with the stars compared to a full month ahead of the summer tour.
"For South Africa, we had a month with the players and they were operating at the levels we operate at international level. They were ready to go.
"When you get them for two weeks, after what they’ve come off, it’s very hard. You’ll probably see in another couple of weeks’ time, which is a month together, we’ll probably be playing better rugby I’d expect at the back end of this competition rather than the start.
"That’s just the reality of what it is and we have to make sure, leading into the Ireland game in the Six Nations, somehow we’ve got to get these players in better condition.
"We’ll be reviewing this process and players will be going away with clear messages of the conditions they need to come back into camp in."
When it was put to him that was hardly a commendation of the Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff and Dragons, Pivac replied: "Well you’ve been watching the club games."
Adams and Halfpenny update
Josh Adams and Leigh Halfpenny should be back in Wales contention next week against Georgia.
The duo are making encouraging progress in their returns from respective injuries, but neither will play any part against the Pumas at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Adams missed the opening autumn clash with New Zealnd due to a thumb injury, while Halfpenny is working his way back from a hamstring problem.
Commenting on their progress, Pivac said: "Josh trained today so he is on track for a return next week and Leigh is back up to running with the trainers and he is pretty close to full speed.
"Fingers crossed they are available for selection next week."
Gwyn takes aim at PIvac's selection
Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones has accused Pivac of a 'scattergun' approach to his back row selections.
In his column for Wales Online Gwyn says the Wales boss keeps flip-flopping between players at flanker and has no consistency over style.
He writes: "Dominic Cummings famously compared Boris Johnson to a shopping trolley, as his ideas careered from one extreme to another. When it comes to selecting a back-row, Wayne Pivac is not far behind.
"Over the past three years, Pivac’s selections and his justifications underpinning them have changed from campaign to campaign. It’s been hard to keep up, and for those players competing to win the shirt it must be totally confusing."
He starts off by saying Gatland hasn't settled on who he wants at blindside.
Gwyn then says: "The openside position has been scattergun," pointing out Jac Morgan and Tommy Reffell didn't appear to be wanted, then they were. Then Justin Tipuric was moved to six against New Zealand.
"My concern going forward is that if Dan Lydiate plays well against Argentina, Pivac will have backed himself into a position of having to leave out either his captain or Reffell. That question will need answering come the Six Nations.
"Perhaps Pivac is banking on having a whole new approach to his back row combination by then anyway."
Read more: Gwyn's no-holds barred column in full is here
Farrell urges England not to give in to fear
Owen Farrell has urged England to stop over-thinking and start trusting their instincts as they bid to move on from Saturday's surprise defeat to Argentina at Twickenham.
Eddie Jones' side take on Japan this weekend under real pressure to muster up a response, and Farrell says his side could potentially benefit from stripping back their approach.
"We don’t want to over-think, which maybe we were guilty of a bit last weekend," said the Saracens playmaker.
"We want to free ourselves up. We have spoken about that this week and we will try and build that up going into Saturday.
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"It is about letting go that bit more. Not worrying about everything — trying to be free but in control of the next moment. If we do that, it will leave us in a good place and give off to the crowd and they will get behind us.
"If we can get a bit more of that mindset and not worry too much about maybe making a mistake… I don’t know, I’m not in everybody’s head, but then we can attack that moment a bit more."
Munster beat Boks in front of record crowd
A Munster side shorn of its Ireland squad contingent saw off South Africa 'A' 28-14 in front of a record crowd of more than 40,000 fans in Cork.
In the first rugby match held at Pairc Ui Chaoimh - the home of Cork GAA - Munster registered their maiden victory over a touring South Africa outfit.
Shane Daly, Simon Zebo, Diarmuid Barron and Mike Haley scored tries. The total attendance of 41,400 was the largest crowd to have watched a game of rugby in the province.
Read more:
The verdict on Wales team to play Argentina as Wayne Pivac takes major gambles amid big change
Jonathan Davies pulls apart Wales' problems and fears the solutions may not exist right now
Gethin Jenkins questions Wales players' 'edge' during 'emotional' meeting
