Wales coach Pivac says July Tests \"unlikely\"

Wed, Apr 29, 2020, 11:41 PM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
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Wales coach Wayne Pivac says their upcoming series against New Zealand appears "unlikely" to go ahead. 

"It does seem unlikely, and as each day and each week goes by, that seems more and more the case," he said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

"But until it is called off or postponed, we have to prepare as if it's going ahead and that's certainly what we are doing.

"We have been very, very lucky, very fortunate, that no-one’s been seriously ill with the virus.

Pivac said that five of his squad members had contracted the virus but none had been forced to go to hospital.

Wales coach Wayne Pivac says it would be unlikely to see the July Series going ahead. Photo: Getty Images"I know who’s well and who’s picked up any sort of illness - there's about five players all up," he said.

"No-one has been required to go to hospital. They have had symptoms, such as coughs and a temperature, so they have dealt with that at home and they have come out of the other side."

Meanwhile, Wales has confirmed its decision to vote for Bill Beaumont as World Rugby chairman.

There had been speculation in the lead up to the start of voting that Ireland and Wales would break away from the other Six Nations countries and vote for Pichot.

However, in a statement released on Wednesday night (AEST), Gareth Davies confirmed the Welsh had put their three votes behind the incumbent Beaumont.

With that decision, it is expected that all of the Six Nations countries will vote for Beaumont, a bloc that would take his tally to 20 votes.

SANZAAR's four member unions have expressed their plans to back Pichot with their 12 votes and Rugby Australia seconded his nomination for the chairmanship.

"As always, it is vitally important to us that due and proper process is followed in the governance of our game in Wales and I would like to formally confirm to our members clubs the Board’s conclusion to support Bill Beaumont in his bid to be re-elected for a further term," Davies said in the statement.

"We have spoken to both candidates and assessed their manifesto commitments in turn.

"We have digested the dynamic drive for change presented by Agustin and understood the commitment to progress but also stability and the steady hand provided by Bill.

"Some members of our Board expressed direct support for Bill and others acceded to take their steer from those of us who are closest to the issues at play.

"There were members of both our exec board and the PRB who expressed a preference for Agustin, and this was by no means a ‘one horse race’ in the Board’s eyes, but our final collective decision was reached based on evidence provided, due diligence and research of each candidate.

SANZAAR and Six Nations countries have three votes each, Africa, Rugby Asia, Europe North/Central America, Oceania and Japan each have two.

Romania, Georgia, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Samoa and Fiji each have one vote.

Wales are the third union to publicly declare its vote, following Rugby Asia's support of Pichot and Rugby Europe's votes for Beaumont.

All votes must be submitted by April 30 and the result will be revealed on May 12.

VOTING

Declared

Beaumont - 5

Rugby Europe, Wales

Pichot - 2

Rugby Asia

Undeclared

Three Votes

SANZAAR - Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, (12 total)

Six Nations - England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, France (15 total)

Two Votes

Africa, North/Central America, South America, Oceania, Japan (10 votes total)

One Vote

Romania, Georgia, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Samoa, Fiji (7 votes total)

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