Wales v Georgia: Wayne Pivac praises recalled Jac Morgan

Jac Morgan has played four internationals for Wales

Head coach Wayne Pivac believes Wales are benefiting from leaving out flanker Jac Morgan for the summer tour and asking him to bulk up.

Morgan missed the three-Test series against the Springboks but was recalled for the autumn internationals.

The Ospreys flanker impressed as a replacement against Argentina and starts against Georgia this Saturday.

"When we did not select him, it was not about his ability, we wanted him to put a bit more size on," said Pivac.

"In other words get stuck in the gym. He is a strong boy anyway, but just make himself even stronger.

"In terms of the breakdown area, there are a lot of collisions, a lot of force coming in at speed, and the size these boys can put on in a three-month period rather than playing rugby and risking injury - it's been great for him.

"He is looking a beast in training. We saw on the weekend he has certainly moved on and developed further."

Morgan, 22, replaces the injured Dan Lydiate and will pack down in the back row alongside uncapped Scarlet Josh Macleod, who starts in the unusual position of number eight.

Macleod, 26, has waited a long time to be capped. He was selected in the 2020 autumn Test squad but suffered a hamstring injury a day before the players linked up.

He was named in the side to play in the Six Nations in Scotland in February 2021, but an hour later he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a training session - an injury that ruled him out for 11 months.

"Certainly the ruptured Achilles was the big one," added Pivac.

"Any injury that takes you out of the first opportunity to play for your country is big.

"For that one I was standing about two metres behind him. He just accelerated from a standing start and it was like someone had shot him with a gun.

"You heard the rupture so it was a nasty one. I remember saying to him, though, before he left the hotel that he should go away with the knowledge that this coaching group had selected him on his merits.

"I told him: 'Work hard now and you will be stronger for it. When you come back, provided you are playing well, you will get another opportunity'.

"He has gone away and worked very hard on his game and it is a credit to him and the people around him, because it is always medical people that do the unseen work and the strength and conditioning boys that help these guys get back.

"It is a pleasure to see him back on the playing field, he is a lovely young guy and works very hard at his game.

"He is a physical player and the biggest step going from club to international rugby is the physicality required, so it is going to be very interesting to see that transfer for him."

Macleod last started at number eight for Scarlets almost four years ago, when Pivac was still in charge in Llanelli.

"It was a while ago," admitted Pivac.

"He's physical and strong over the ball so that gives you another jackal threat, which is important.

"Defensively and attacking he is a guy that can be strong, in the wide channels too if you want to use him, although I am not suggesting we will be doing that on the weekend.

"The fact he has got eight on his back, Justin [Tipuric] seven and Jac six, outside of the set-piece, they will all have similar roles.

"You'll probably find Justin a little wider out with his running ability and the other two more power in the middle of the park. They'll complement each other."

Pivac believes Macleod can cover all three back-row positions.

"Josh Navidi has done that for us in the past and done it very well," added Pivac.

"Josh has played all three for the Scarlets and certainly when I was there he was able to do that. He has been doing that in training for the last three weeks."