Australia v Wales, preview

[Burgs]

Wallabies v Wales, preview

May 24, 2007 - 5:12pm
Story by: Sportal

Venue & time

Telstra Stadium, Sydney. Saturday May 26, 20:00 (AEST).

Head to head

Played 24: Australia 14, Wales 9, drawn 1

Last time

Cardiff Arms Park (Cardiff), Wales 29 - 29 Australia

Walking wounded & team changes

Wallabies tighthead prop Al Baxter was a late withdrawal this week due to illness. Brumbies front-rower Guy Shepherdson comes into the starting line-up with Benn Robinson earning a spot on the bench. Prop Rodney Blake and utility back Cameron Shepherd are out with short-term injuries while fullback Chris Latham (knee) and prop Greg Holmes (shoulder) are on the long-term injured list. After a hectic Super 14 season, Lote Tuqiri is rested from the Test series against Wales while George Smith gets a bit of rest with a bench start. Matt Giteau starts at scrumhalf ahead of George Gregan while Adam Ashley-Cooper gets a debut start at No.12 and Julian Huxley debuts at fullback. Dan Vickerman makes his comeback to international rugby after more than six months out with a shoulder reconstruction.

Wales has left 18 internationals at home to recuperate from a torrid club and international season. However, the Welsh are adamant that the players on the current tour deserve to be here and plenty will press for World Cup places. Dynamic young flyhalf James Hook forms a new halves pairing with cheeky No.9 Mike Phillips. Flanker Gavin Henson and reserve winger Michael Owen are coming back from injury. Unfortunately hooker Gareth Williams has returned home after tearing his calf at training. Matthew Rees will start this game with the No.2 jersey and then leave the team to attend the birth of his first child. British Lion Colin Charvis has passed a test on his bruised knee and will start but winger Aled Brew is still recovering from his knee injury is ruled out.

Form

The Wallabies had an unspectacular series on their spring tour to the UK and Italy last November. An experimental team earned a draw with Wales, wins over Italy and Scotland, and a loss to Ireland. If Super 14 form is anything to go by, the Brumbies finished the year with plenty of momentum so Gregan, Larkham, Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Gerrard and Huxley should ensure the Wallabies backline is plays with confidence.

After winning the Grand Slam a few years ago, Wales had a disastrous 2007 Six Nations campaign with just one victory to their credit, 27-18 win over England in the final round. Before that they were outclassed by Ireland and France and demoralised by Italy and Scotland. To their credit they were quite competitive in most of their matches but their form was very patchy.

Who's hot

Matt Giteau had a colossal year at the Western Force playing at flyhalf and No.12. Stephen Larkham was in a purple patch over the month of the Super 14 while Huxley, Ashley-Cooper, Smith, Mark Chisholm and Stephen Hoiles have been in excellent form for the Brumbies. Rocky Elsom has stood out for the Waratahs, while Wycliff Palu was getting back to his best in the last few rounds.

Wales' No.10 Hook has been touted as a player to watch and has been in sizzling form of late, while Bath scrumhalf Williams is also player with a great reputation. Charvis had an outstanding season for the Dragons as did 19-year-old Ceri Sweeney. Prop Iestyn Thomas has recovered from a serious neck injury and is getting back to the type of form his showed at the 2003 World Cup - he will surprise at loosehead. Skipper Gareth Thomas celebrates the match by becoming the most capped Welsh player, while Australian-born lock Brett Cockbain will be looking make his mark against his former nation.

Teams

Australia:

1. Matt Dunning,
2. Stephen Moore,
3. Guy Shepherdson,
4. Nathan Sharpe,
5. Mark Chisholm,
6. Rocky Elsom,
7. Phil Waugh (c),
8. Wycliff Palu,

9. Matt Giteau,
10. Stephen Larkham,
11. Drew Mitchell,
12. Adam Ashley-Cooper,
13. Stirling Mortlock (vc),
14. Mark Gerrard,
15. Julian Huxley.

16. Adam Freier,
17. Benn Robinson,
18. Dan Vickerman,
19. Stephen Hoiles,
20. George Smith (vc),
21, George Gregan,
22. Scott Staniforth

Wales:

1. Iestyn Thomas,
2. Matthew Rees,
3. Adam Jones,
4. Brent Cockbain,
5. Rob Sidoli,
6. Colin Charvis,
7. Gavin Thomas,
8. Jonathan Thomas,

9. Mike Phillips,
10. James Hook,
11. Chris Czekaj,
12. Sonny Parker,
13. Jamie Robinson
14. Gareth Thomas,
15. Lee Byrne.

16. Richard Hibbard,
17. Ceri Jones,
18. Michael Owen,
19. Scott Morgan,
20. Gareth Cooper,
21. Ceri Sweeney,
22. Gavin Henson.

[Burgs]

Knuckles still mixing and matching

rugby e news

Wales hits the Australian shores having copped a battering from the local press corps who just don't rate this Red Dragons outfit.

True, some class players are at home and Wales has not beaten the Wallabies in Sydney since Bill Lawry led our cricketers (1969), but the Wallaby XV has an experimental smell to it. Confidence cannot be high yet after a dismal Australian Super 14 effort. Gareth Jenkins' men  the Wales starting XV was to be named after this preview went to print  will take solace from their last two outings against Australia. The November test in Cardiff was Matt Giteau's first at halfback in a 29-all draw. But of course 12 months prior to that, Wales did lower Australia 24-22 on its home turf. So there is no aura or mystique surrounding this Wallaby side.

Wales had only a passable Six Nations, largely rescued by a superb win against England to close its campaign. James Hook was to the fore, and he, along with classy midfielders Sonny Parker and Gavin Henson, not to mention the nation's most capped player Gareth Thomas, should present a useful backline that will complement a pack bolstered by the gnarly Colin Charvis. Several players will be also be heartened by Ospreys claiming the Magners Celtic League title with Cardiff Blues a close second.

The Wallabies have one debutant in fullback Julian Huxley, rewarded for a fine season with the Brumbies in any number of positions. Phil Waugh has the captain's armband, despite his lack of match play, while Connolly's backline versatility has enabled a 5-2 split on his bench. Giteau starts at No 9 with George Gregan having to wait for his 128th test cap.

It should be a fitting tribute to the inaugural match for the James Bevan Trophy, named after the Australian-born Welshman who was the first ever captain of the Welsh rugby team.

I might be about to blow my cover of pretending to know a little on the game, but I have never noticed a RUGBY UNION CAPTAIN wear an arm band?!?!?!?

[chook]

Huxley to let in at least 2 tries with his 'magic fingers' tackling style. Will try to make for it by scoring a try. In effect cancelling out his own selection. Wobblies in a tight one.
Go the Barbarians!

[jazza93]

looks good. drew mitchell will get 3 trys and australia by 23

[GIGS20]

If Matt Giteau spends more than 40 minutes at #9 expect to see him there formost of the year....and Australia will be weaker for it, there isn't another 12 who can match him. Wallabies by less than a try (James Hook looks to be on absolute fire at the moment, but it won't be enough)

[Evie]

Larkham ruled out
Sportal

The Wallabies have been rocked by the late withdrawal of champion flyhalf Stephen Larkham from Saturday night's Test against Wales in Sydney due to a hamstring injury.

Larkham said he felt a slight strain in his hamstring during Wallabies training on Wednesday night.

The talented playmaker, who is vital to Australia's World Cup campaign, indicated the injury was minor and if he had a couple of extra days he would be able to play, meaning he should be OK for the second Test against Wales in Brisbane on June 2.

Larkham said he had been pushing himself at training and had possibly overdone it with too much kicking practice.

Waratahs flyhalf Sam Norton-Knight has been rushed from outside the 22, directly into the starting XV.

Norton-Knight said at the Wallabies captain's run on Friday that he felt sorry for Larkham but was obviously 'shocked and excited' to be handed his first Wallabies cap.

The versatile NSW No.10 also revealed he had played alongside Matt Giteau when both were in the Brumbies colts side the Vikings a few years ago, but had only formed a combination on one game and only for about 10 minutes.

[Thequeerone]

The Welsh have been told perform and you go to France - much and all as I admire many of the players on the Wallabies, 1 week of training in new positions etc..- I reckon it will go down to the wire a draw or pretty close to one

[inactive]

him seriously we can do better

[Darren]

Should start Gregan at 10....

[Burgs]

Head to www.rugby.com.au and look around the mid left of the page for a link to a full e version of this matches Test Program, some interesting articles to read.

[no.8]

Should start Gregan at 10....

Better than Norton-Knight.
Though I would have been happy with Greg's at 9 Gitt's at 10.