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Wales are clearly worried about facing up to a young Qantas Wallabies team about to hit the peak of their form in Cardiff this Saturday (Sunday morning 1.30am AEDT - Sydney time).
Their coaches, head coach Warren Gatland and defense coach Shaun Edwards, have had all sorts of interesting things to say this week in the lead up to the game as they desperately try to unsettle Robbie Deans' exciting team.
Obviously Edwards and Gatland are trying hard to get into the Wallabies’ heads and unsettle this vibrant young side who stand on the precipice of a golden new age in Australian Rugby.
And understandably so. As the Wales coaching staff watched the Wallabies heroic fightback and thrilling victory in Hong Kong over world No.1 New Zealand, no doubt the furrows in their brow steadily increased.
The Wallabies now have the look and feel of Deans' Crusaders sides of earlier this decade when two youngsters called Richie McCaw and Dan Carter were emerging, ready to take Rugby world by storm.
The Wallabies are reaping a similar harvest now as Deans’ punt on two untried youngsters way back in 2008, Quade Cooper and James O’Connor, starts to bare fruit.
And more experienced players like Matt Giteau (goal kicking woes aside) and Adam Ashley-Cooper are re-energised by the youngsters inside them, as Ashley-Cooper’s breathtaking solo try in Hong Kong displayed.
With players like Digby Ioane, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Wycliff Palu, James Horwill and Dan Vickerman to return to the Wallabies ranks in 2011 – things are definitely starting to look up for the team's assault on the Rugby World Cup.
As for O’Connor – what else can you say that hasn’t been said this week.
The kid is pure class. As humble as he is talented. The rough edges have been knocked off him by Deans – off and on the field – and he is going to emerge as one of the greats in years to come.
He may look like Justin Bleiber's older brother but he has all the flare of David Campese, without quite as good kicking game but with probably a yard or two more in pace.
It's not surprising Wales are trying the mind games as they face an uphill battle this weekend.
Indeed so worried are they about the attacking riches at the Wallabies disposal they are thinking of keeping the Millennium Stadium roof open and praying for rain to bog the Men of Gold down.
As Wales are known themselves for their attacking flair, with excitement machines like Shane Williams in their ranks, it would be a very surprising and disappointing move if that was the case.
The home side have however been ravaged by injury and are staring down the barrel of a fourth consecutive loss – but considering those previous losses were to the Springboks (in Cardiff) and the All Blacks twice (in New Zealand) that stat may be deceptive.
But what is more telling is that Gatland has been deprived of a quintet of top line stars including impressive fullback Lee Byrne, captain and No.8 Ryan Jones as well as wing Leigh Halfpenny, centre Jamie Roberts and centre Jonathan Davies.
Furthermore Gatland has decided to follow Deans lead and introduce some youngsters to his ranks ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Gone is 95 Test flanker Martyn Williams from their startling XV.
The red haired fetcher has been benched in deference to Cardiff Blues colleague Sam Warburton who packs down in the back row alongside Dragons prospect Dan Lydiate and number eight Jonathan Thomas.
The Dragons loose trio will have a big job countering captain Rocky Elsom, barnstorming No.8 Ben McCalman and John Eales Medallist - David Pocock, who finished over the top of McCaw last Saturday.
James Hook has been shifted to full-back instead of the injured Byrne. It was a role Hook filled with great success last autumn.
Blues centre Tom Shanklin wins his 67th cap, partnering Andrew Bishop in midfield, with Qwent wing Will Harries slotting in for Halfpenny, who is sidelined with ankle ligament trouble.
With last season's Wales captain Jones out because of a torn calf muscle, Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees skippers his country for the first time.
Wales are seeking only their second Bundaberg Red Tri Nations scalp from 10 attempts since Gatland took charge. That solitary success came against the Wallabies two years ago.
And it will be that narrow 21-18 loss in 2008 that will burn most brightly in the Wallabies mind come Saturday, and it will serve to focus the team nicely as they will be desperate to build on last weekend’s breakthrough result.
As the pictures from training in Cardiff this week have shown the team have been slogging it out under grey skies for long hours on the training paddock , in a continuing quest for perfection.
Deans has also named an unchanged 22 for just the second time in his 38 Test reign, the first time he is able to do that since the Wallabies’ final Tri-Nations fixture in 2009 against New Zealand in Wellington. It’s a luxury Deans will enjoy.
Try as they might to slow down the game, make it a forward slog and dampen the field it’s hard to see Wales holding this explosive Wallabies combination.
They might just contain a couple of the Wallabies young stars – but they can’t possibly bottle up all of them – and riding on the crest of the victory over the All Blacks they will be very hard to stop.
Last time the Wallabies came this way they left with a 33-12 victory last year after one of their best performances in recent years. Expect a similar outcome on Saturday.
Line Ups
Qantas Wallabies
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies),
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies),
4. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies),
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force),
6. Rocky Elsom (c) (Brumbies),
7. David Pocock (Western Force),
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force),
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds),
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds),
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs),
12. Matt Giteau (Brumbies),
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies),
14. James O’Connor (Western Force),
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs),
Reserves:
16. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds),
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds),
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs),
19. Richard Brown (Western Force),
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs),
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs),
22. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs)
Wales
1 Gethin Jenkins.
2 Matthew Rees (c),
3 Adam Jones,
4 Brad Davies,
5 Alun-Wyn Jones,
6 Dan Lydiate,
7 Sam Warburton ,
8 Jonathan Thomas,
9 Mike Phillips,
10 Stephen Jones,
11 Shane Williams,
12 Andrew Bishop,
13 Tom Shanklin,
14 Will Harries,
15 James Hook,
Reserves
16 Huw Bennett,
17 Paul James,
18 Deiniol Jones,
19 Martyn Williams,
20 Richie Rees,
21 Dan Biggar,
22 Chris Czekaj.
Date: Saturday, November 6
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT (1.30AM Sunday November 7th AEDT (Sydney) time)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock (New Zealand), Peter Allan (Scotland)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
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