Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, November 23.
Wales 'appalling' and 'should be tier two' nation
Wales' "appalling" performance against Georgia and ongoing issues have been branded a "s**t show", according to former England international Andy Goode.
Wayne Pivac's side suffered their first ever defeat to the Lelos last weekend in the same calendar year they lost to Italy and are now just 10 months out from a World Cup, with the pressure ramping up on Pivac and his coaching team ahead of this Saturday's do-or-die autumn finale against Australia.
Speaking on The Rugby Pod, the weekly show he co-hosts with former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton, Goode said: “Wales, it’s appalling. Sam Warburton said it, it starts at the top, the governance of the game, how it is run, there is no depth in Wales at all now in terms of the player pool, the regions are substantially underfunded – it’s a s**t show, let’s be honest. Wales at the minute is a s**t show.
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“Jim Hamilton said it about five years ago, how bad are Wales? Well, it has taken this long and they are (bad), but they have a hero that can come back and save them and they have got one more shot this weekend in terms of playing against Australia. Bring back Alun Wyn (Jones). Where was Alun Wyn when you need him? He would have won that game for them single-handedly (against Georgia).
“You don’t want to go too hard on them. I have got a lot of time for Stephen Jones as a coach. Wayne Pivac, he is getting absolutely pelted left, right and centre for how he is managing the situation. Are the players playing for him, has he lost the whole changing room? Warren Gatland is on the scene doing a bit of Prime Video, floating around. I’m hearing people saying, ‘Just get Gats back for the World Cup now’ because Gats isn’t getting the New Zealand job. They’re f**ked, basically. Jim called it years ago.”
Hamilton jumped in, saying: “There are great people involved in Wales and they have had a great history, but I have always felt they have overachieved because their regions don’t do that well. There is not a huge amount of investment in the game and you look at the grassroots, your Pontypridds and your Pontypools, these old-school clubs that you don’t really hear of anymore.
“There are great people involved, Stephen Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Neil Jenkins, Jonathan Humphreys, who was my coach in Scotland, is a wicked bloke, a lovely bloke. But everything you are reading is Wayne Pivac isn’t going to have a job next week. They have got Australia, who are playing in their fifth game which is again ridiculous, they look absolutely bo******ed and that is a story for another day, but I do wonder whether Wayne Pivac sees it through. The question is who do you bring in? Stephen Jones is the obvious one to do that. You are playing for your country and one thing that Wales normally do even if you are struggling with your regions, when you pull on the red jersey it doesn’t matter.
"Fair play to Georgia. People are talking about the Six Nations and whether Georgia should come in. Well, there you go, it has been answered at the weekend – get Wales in tier two.”
Hooper ruled out of Wales v Australia
Australia star Michael Hooper has been ruled out of the Wallabies' Autumn Nations Series clash against Wales on Saturday.
Flanker Hooper, who has won more than 120 caps, presented with concussion symptoms following Australia's 13-10 loss to Ireland last weekend. The Wallabies said that 31-year-old Hooper would return home on Thursday.
He is the latest player to be sidelined during a punishing European tour that has seen successive defeats against France, Italy and Ireland. A number of his colleagues had already been ruled out of the Wales encounter in Cardiff, including centre Hunter Paisami, scrum-half Nic White and prop Taniela Tupou.
Wales 'pushing hard for Australia' after 'honest' Georgia debrief
Josh Macleod believes Wales are ready for Australia's challenge after some "very honest" conversations following a humiliating defeat against Georgia.
Wales will end the international year - one that has been scarred by home losses to Georgia and Italy - on Saturday by targeting a fourth successive victory over the Wallabies. But the playing squad, head coach Wayne Pivac and his staff are under enormous pressure in the aftermath of a result that Wales skills specialist Neil Jenkins described as being among his country's darkest days.
Macleod made his Test debut in the 13-12 loss, and he is again likely to be involved in Wales' matchday 23 against Australia. Pivac names his team on Thursday, with a possible recall for world record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones headlining that selection. And number eight Taulupe Faletau is poised to make his 100th appearance for Wales and the British and Irish Lions as Pivac is set to to rely heavily on experience. Six expected starters - Jones, Faletau, full-back Leigh Halfpenny, centre George North, hooker Ken Owens and captain Justin Tipuric - have 626 Wales caps between them.
Wales, though, have won just three games from 11 starts this year, and even success against an injury-hit Australia might not be enough for Pivac to survive. But there is also a piercing spotlight on Welsh Rugby Union chiefs, who must decide whether a change of coach is the right response just 10 months out from a World Cup.
Wales debriefed the Georgia debacle on Monday, and Scarlets forward Macleod said: "They [conversations] were very honest. It was a good day and we got a lot out of it. I think we have wiped that slate clean and now we are really pushing hard for Australia.
"As a squad, we were massively frustrated and disappointed with the result as a whole, but as Toby [Faletau] mentioned after the game, we are going to stick as one - management, players and staff. We've put Georgia to bed and all the disappointment with that, and we will move forward to this week with a positive attitude. Naturally, everyone says there will be a reaction after a defeat like that. Come Saturday, I am sure whoever takes the field will be ready."
Argentina star banned for red card
Argentina back-rower Marcos Kremer has been suspended for four games after illegally charging into Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie at a ruck last weekend.
Kremer appeared before an independent judicial committee via video link having been red carded in Saturday's game at Murrayfield, admitting the act of foul play warranted a sending-off.
The committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head, giving a starting point of six weeks which was then reduced to four weeks as a result of "the player's remorse, admission of guilt, good conduct and timely apology to Jamie Ritchie". Kremer will now miss four games for Stade Francais.
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