Wayne Pivac's potential Wales replacements if WRU did decide to pull trigger

Despite the uncharted territory of a Wales coach losing at home to Italy, there is no indication that Wayne Pivac is about to lose his job just yet.

With his contract lasting until after next year's World Cup, the likelihood is that the Welsh Rugby Union will back Pivac to guide them to France 2023 rather than put together a severance package. Nonetheless, it's altogether easier to sack the coach rather than make the sweeping changes in Welsh rugby so many are demanding.

So what if the WRU did decide to bite the bullet? Who would be the candidates to replace Pivac just 18 months before a World Cup? And what would be the chances of Wales getting them?

We assess the men who would be in the frame.

When the pressure first piled upon Pivac back in 2020, the rumour mill was going wild that the Crusaders boss was already on the plane over to Cardiff to sort things out. That didn't materialise, but the former All Blacks flanker appears to be the favoured choice for those calling for Pivac's head.

Since taking over the Canterbury side in 2017, he's won five Super Rugby titles in as many years. Understandably, such a remarkable record has seen Robertson tied down to the Crusaders until 2024.

Speaking to Donal Lenihan earlier this year in the Irish Examiner, Robertson admitted that his next move would likely be into Test rugby rather than another club role, adding that it would probably be after the 2023 World Cup.

"I want to change how people think about coaching, how they do coach and to do that I’ll have to go to the Northern Hemisphere and get out of my comfort zone and understand how I can add to the current culture there.

"It would want to be after the World Cup, see what happens here with the All Blacks, you know, do I