Delighted Pivac prepares for England test after Georgia romp - GulfToday

Delighted Pivac prepares for England test after Georgia romp

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Wales coach Wayne Pivac gestures before their match against Georgia on Saturday. Reuters

A satisfied Wayne Pivac expressed his delight after their victory over a hapless Gerogia in their Autumn Nations Cup on Saturday.

Wales ended their six-game skid to trounce a Georgia 18-0 ahead of their crucial calsh against England on Nov.28.

Pivac said his they are confident of taking on England and his players have exuded a great enthusiasm to play against a formidable England.

England, who are sitting at the top  of the group, will arrive for their final pool game in the Autumn Nations Cup on the back of convincing victories over Georgia and Ireland.

“England are a formidable side with a lot of talented players,” said Pivac at his post-match press conference.

“They are a big team and are going to be a handful. We need to take the positives out of this tonight and build on that. I think that across the board we took a step in the right direction.

“On a drier day the dents we made in their defence we would have been more dangerous.”

Pivac professed himself happy with the performance of a side that had three players making their Test debuts in the starting XV.

The Welsh scored two tries -- one through the impressive teenager Louis Rees-Zammit -- but it was a performance that will have satisfied neither the critics nor the fans.

Pivac’s Test victories since he replaced Warren Gatland after they reached the World Cup semi-finals last year, having earlier achieved the Six Nations Grand Slam, have been against the Georgians and Italy.

Pivac, though, believed it was a “step in the right direction” and conditions were unfavourable for throwing the ball around. Pivac highlighted two players he thought had done their chances of playing against England no harm.

“Despite the very wet underfoot conditions and slippery ball, I thought Callum (Sheedy, the fly-half who scored eight points) contributed well on his first start,” said Pivac.

“Talking to a couple of the others in the dressing room they were pretty pleased.

“Johnny Williams (centre making his debut) was very excited.

“He did well in the conditions. There is plenty to work on, it was far from perfect but a step in the right direction.”

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