Gatland backs Biggar over X-rated North tirade in Wales World Cup win
Fly-half Biggar dished out an X-rated tirade after North tried to interrupt from deep in Sunday evening’s tense Pool C win over Fiji in Bordeaux.
Biggar was caught on broadcast microphones shouting “get the f*****g ball off” at North, as Wales flirted with hazard deep in their very own half.
Wales tiptoed residence in a turbulent conflict which noticed each side rating 4 tries, however Fiji blew a number of high quality alternatives to win the competition.
Asked about Biggar’s terse ticking-off, Gatland stated: “I don’t have a problem with that. It is about making people accountable.
“There were times in the first half where we put the ball through the hands or maybe there was a kick option. We probably weren’t as clear in our comms and decision-making as we needed to be.
“There is nothing wrong with players challenging each other. We want that to be part of the group.
Right rollocking: Dan Biggar fumed at George North during Wales’ tense win over Fiji
/ Getty Images“Everyone is accountable, peer pressure is huge and we all need to take responsibility. That sort of criticism is not personal, it is about the individual getting better. We need people to be able to be critical.”
Both groups scored 4 tries in a barnstorming battle. Josh Adams, George North, Louis Rees-Zammit and Elliot Dee all crossed for Wales, who led 32-14 at one stage.
Waisea Nayacalevu, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Josua Tuisova and Mesake Doge grabbed scores for Fiji — who arrange a nervy finale with two late tries.
Had Semi Radradra been capable of maintain a bounce go then he would have scored within the nook and given Fiji the prospect to safe victory through a last-gasp conversion. Wales clung on, nevertheless, for a pivotal opening win in Pool C.
“It is a pretty significant victory for us,” stated Gatland. “Fiji probably went into the game as favourites, everyone expected them to win.
“We’ve always been a team that builds on confidence and gets better as tournaments go on. That’s exciting.”
Gatland’s aspect had been additionally lucky with the refereeing. Wales made a World Cup-record 248 tackles to assert the win. They acquired 4 warnings for repeated infringements however solely misplaced one participant, Corey Domachowski, to a yellow card.
Fiji, in distinction, had Tagitagivalu sin-binned in a sequence the place just one penalty was conceded. Wales conceded a whopping 17 penalties and nonetheless prevailed, with their scramble defence proving resolute within the excessive regardless of the indiscipline. If Fiji’s coaches had been fuming, they hid it nicely.
“We had opportunities and a chance to score at the end with the pass to win it,” stated Fiji boss Simon Raiwalui.
“Wales had a couple of opportunities off our defensive errors and scored a couple of tries, and that was the difference. We’ve got a lot to work on.”
It was an emotional win for Biggar, with the conflict falling on his late mom Liz’s birthday. “I hope she was looking down on him,” stated Gatland.
Wales won’t lack for motivation shifting ahead, each boosted by their rearguard motion to safe victory over Fiji and likewise with an enormous battle in opposition to Australia forward.
Beat the Aussies on September 24 and negotiate tough clashes with Portugal and Georgia, and Wales would make the quarter-finals with one thing to spare.