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Wales host Australia in battle for pre-World Cup tonic
CARDIFF, United Kingdom, Nov 9, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Psychological one-
upmanship will be up for grabs when Wales host Australia on Saturday in a
dress rehearsal of what has been billed a pool-deciding match at next year’s
Rugby World Cup.
The two sides will clash on September 29, 2019, at Tokyo Stadium in what
many reckon will be the game that decides the winner of a Pool D that also
includes Fiji, Georgia and Uruguay.
So there is all to play for at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, not least to
boost confidence levels and test squads’ strength in depth.
Warren Gatland’s Wales come into the fixture on the back of a 21-10 victory
over Scotland, their sixth win on the trot.
The Wallabies, coached by Michael Cheika, won just two of their six Rugby
Championship matches in an indifferent season, but have racked up 13 straight
wins over the Welsh since 2008.
Gatland, who made three changes to his side but kept Gareth Anscombe at
fly-half ahead of Dan Biggar, said the Scotland game had been the perfect
aperitif to larger fare.
“In the past, we haven’t been great starters in the autumn,” the New
Zealander said.
“It’s tough when you haven’t been together for four months and you normally
come up against either an Australia, South Africa or New Zealand, who have
just come off a Rugby Championship. It is not the easiest thing in the world.
Plus, there is a lot of expectation.
“The fact we have that first game under our belt, we have a win, we have
some confidence, hopefully we’ll be a lot better from that performance last
week to take on Australia.”
– Woeful Wales record –
Gatland actually oversaw the 2008 victory over Australia, as part of his
first autumn series since taking over as Wales coach following the 2007 Rugby
World Cup. But he has since seen his side go down 13 times, on many occasion
by a mere handful of points.
“We’re disappointed with the run of losses we’ve had against them,” he
acknowledged.
“But if look at how close a lot of those games have been, I think there’s
been something like seven points the difference between us and them on
average over that period, less than a score in it on most occasions. They
have all gone right down to the wire.
“Unfortunately, in some of those we have conceded points in the final
minutes having been ahead.”
Looking ahead to the World Cup in Japan, Gatland added: “This game is
important for the next 12 months. It is not the most important, the pool game
at the World Cup is going to be the most important one.
“This will definitely be important from a confidence point of view and yes
it’s been well-documented that they’re under different sorts of pressures
than we are, but the pressure for us is being favourites and being able to
handle it.”
Cheika made four changes to his starting XV from the one that lost most
recently to New Zealand.
But the Australian was adamant that the match was a “great opportunity for
us to take their scalp”.
“Every game is a Test match,” Cheika said. “Don’t look at the things
further down the road, just have a look at what you have to get right for
Saturday and play your best. It is a great opportunity for us. We love
playing at the Principality Stadium, a great stadium.”
Wales, he added, are “always very competitive across the board. Gatland is
one of the best coaches in the world and he has had success with the (British
and Irish) Lions and Wales. He has got a very well organised, well drilled
team and that is why they are at the position they are”.
BSS/AFP/MRI/0853 hrs