Wales v Australia, preview

Wales v Australia, preview

Story by Sportal for the ARU
Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 12:04 PM (AEST)

Venue & time

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Saturday, September 15. 23:00 (AEST).

Head to head

Played 26: Australia 16 – Wales 9 – Drawn 1

Last time

Suncorp Stadium (Brisbane), 2007. Australia 31-0 Wales.

Walking wounded

Australia has lost winger Mark Gerrard for the remainder of the tournament with a serious knee injury suffered against Japan. Winger Adam Ashley-Cooper is almost certain to be ruled out after suffering a toe injury in the opening match. Tight-head prop Guy Shepherdson looks to have overcome a troublesome knee injury as well as a corked thigh suffered in training last week. (Dear God, please drop Trestle!) Number eight Wycliff Palu (shoulder) came through the opener unscathed as did Test debutante Berrick Barnes (groin).

Wales welcomed back flyhalf Stephen Jones against Canada following a four-month layoff with a hip-flexor injury, and look set to have him on board for the pivotal clash with the Wallabies. Inspirational skipper Gareth Thomas will also play despite sporting 20 stitches in three facial wounds suffered against France in a warm-up match. :eek: He already scares little children!!!

Form

The Wallabies were impressive in their 91-3 destruction of the Japanese in Lyon, but face a much tougher test at Millennium Stadium on Saturday. The Wallabies blew out the cobwebs against the Cherry Blossoms and will enter this match quietly confident. But the Wallabies will need to recapture the form they showed throughout the recent Tri Nations series, if they hope to account for Wales at home.

Wales continued their recent run of indifferent form in their opening Pool B match against Canada. The Welsh trailed 17-9 early in the second half before finding their feet to run out 42-17 winners. But Wales, who have registered one win and one draw in their previous two encounters with the Wallabies at Millennium Stadium, will be a totally different outfit in front of a parochial Cardiff crowd on Saturday.

Who's hot

Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom produced a dominant display against Japan including a rare hatrick of tries. Lock Nathan Sharpe was busy up-front while back-up flyhalf Berrick Barnes did not look out of place on debut, bagging a double of his own. Fullback Chris Latham showed glimpses of his best in what was a solid team performance.

Returning flyhalf Stephen Jones and veteran fullback Gareth Thomas stamped their class against Canada, coming on as second-half substitutes to rescue the Welsh from a potentially embarrassing defeat.

Teams:

Teams will be announced on Wednesday night.

Wallabies to Glen Ella, "Gee, thanks Glen! Go kick the ant nest why don't you!!!" :S

Ella predicts Japan repeat

From Peter Jenkins in Montpellier, France
September 12, 2007

FORMER Australia full back Glen Ella has stung Wales with the insulting prediction that Australia will crush the Dragons in front of the Cardiff faithful.

Ella, an assistant coach with Canada, was convinced his team was poised to inflict a Rugby World Cup boilover on Sunday until fading fitness handed Wales an escape in Nantes.

That match was the one "that got away" from lowly ranked, semi-professional Canadia.

And in a warning to Wales, Ella said the Dragons would be mentally scarred by the scare and a "carve-up" loomed at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday night.

"We could have won that, definitely," Ella said of a game Canada led until the 57th minute before losing 42-17.

"These guys just don't play enough high-intensity rugby.

"They let Wales back into it only because they don't have the conditioning to go 80 minutes."

He warned Australia wouldn't be so charitable after its 91-3 romp against Japan.

"The back row of George Smith, Wycliff Palu and Rocky Elsom were outstanding," Ella said.

"We have to be honest and say Japan were rubbish.

"But you still have to play what's in front of you, and there were some very good signs from the Wallabies.

"Every time they made a break there were three or four guys in support wanting the ball. That suggests a team that really wants to play rugby.

"Once that back row gets over the advantage line Australia have backs with speed to burn.

"They'll take Wales and could really do a number on them. Gits (Matt Giteau) will come into his own and Lote (Tuqiri) will be ready for a big game."

Ella, the Wallabies' backs coach at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, said that Wales clearly struggled during warm-up matches last month.

It performed poorly against England and was thrashed 34-7 by France.

"They weren't convincing against us at all," he said.

"So they'll be lacking confidence running into a team that showed some form, even if it was against Japan.

"The only advantage Wales have is playing at Millennium Stadium, which I find odd given the tournament's supposed to be in France.

"If I was Australia I would have been protesting that as soon as the draw came out.

"Over the past few years Australia have never played well in the northern hemisphere and then they get told they have to play Wales on their home pitch."

The Wallabies could make two changes to the side that buried Japan under 13 tries.

A toe injury will force out wing Adam Ashley-Cooper for Drew Mitchell, while Guy Shepherdson will return as tight-head prop for Al Baxter.

Guy Shepherdson for Al Baxter, looks like Trestle was given his chance against Japan and wisdom has prevailed for the real match. We can only hope that Dunning is up to the task, and Shepherdson can last 80 minutes.