Former Wales coach Pivac joins the Japanese second division
Wayne Bivac Paul Jenkins / Action Plus / Panoramic
NEC Green Rockets, which plays in the Japanese second division, announced today, Friday, that former Wales coach Wayne Pivach will lead the team next season.
The New Zealander was sacked by Wales last December after a poor run of results and has since been replaced by New Zealander Warren Gatland, who is back for a second term at the helm of a Lake XV. It is a “great honor and privilege” to join NEC (the club that was relegated from Japan’s elite club last season), according to the 60-year-old in the club’s press release.
“Our motto ‘Higher than ever’ embodies everything we will do throughout the 2023/24 season, as we rebuild to be better and stronger than we have been in previous seasons. We will strive to return to the top tier of Japanese rugby,” he continued, “along the way.” We want to give our fans something to celebrate with some exciting rugby”. Pivac’s departure as Wales manager was marked after a disappointing campaign for Lake XV during the Autumn Nations series, marked in particular by home defeat to Georgia.
Wales have won just 13 out of 34 tests with Bivac, despite securing a Six Seasons title in 2021 under his stewardship. Behind Gatland after the 2019 World Cup.
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