Wales v Fiji: Jeers will 'spur' Rhys Priestland, says Wayne Pivac

Rhys Priestland made his Wales debut against Scotland in the 2011 Six Nations

Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac hopes Wales fly-half Rhys Priestland will be motivated to prove his critics wrong.

Priestland was jeered after coming on for Dan Biggar during the 33-28 loss to Australia.

Former Fiji coach Pivac hopes the incident will inspire Priestland when he starts against Fiji.

"If it was me personally it would spur me into action to want to play well and prove the knockers that I can do the job," Pivac said.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards has criticised fans who booed Priestland against the Wallabies.

Edwards joined Wales head coach Warren Gatland in defending the player, who has had issues with his confidence in the past.

The 27-year-old sought the help of sport psychiatrist Andy McCann in 2012 after struggling for form and fitness.

The fly-half suspended his Twitter account as a result of abuse he received from fans, which Gatland says almost prompted Priestland to retire.

New Zealander Pivac, who succeeded Simon Easterby as Scarlets head coach, says he cannot understand why fans would boo the fly-half.

"My experience with Rhys is he's one of the best attacking five-eights," Pivac told Radio Wales Sport.

"He's got one of the biggest punts I've seen off both feet and we're certainly happy at the Scarlets when he's kicking the ball out of our defensive area.

"There's not much booing going on when he does that."

WALES TEAM V FIJI

Liam Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), George North (Northampton Saints); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, capt), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Dan Lydiate (unattached), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys).

Replacements: Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), James King (Ospreys), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), James Hook (Gloucester), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues).