Wales v Australia Preview

By Lestyn (12/06/03)
June 12 2003

After our shocking run of defeats continued last week, playing the Aussies in Sydney was the last game Steve Hansen would have wanted. But then again it is another chance for the team to redeem itself once more in time to build up some much needed momentum before the world cup.

With Saturday morning's test having already been written off in Australia as nothing more than a brief break for the home side in between last weeks demolition job of Ireland and next weeks prospect of a much tighter game with France, Wales as always have a lot to prove. Usually this would been seen as arrogance by the Aussies, but unfortunately this time judged on our recent form it is only fair for them to treat us with such little respect.

The side Martyn Williams leads into Stadium Australia on Saturday Night (local time) will have few straws to clutch at. As well as form and injuries, history is also against us. You have to go back sixteen years to find the last time we beat triumphed over Australia, in the 1987 World cup, but that was only the meaningless nonsense of a third place play off. For the last Welsh win on Australian soil, You have to go back at least thirty years (when we had a good team).

On paper the Aussies should walk this, the likes of George Gregan, Wendell Sailor and Toutai Kefu are world class players that we simply cannot match. The only two Welsh players who may worry  the home side slightly, are Martyn Williams and Robert Sidoli, but like the rest of the squad are still rusty following Hansen's ludicrous decision to pull them out of all club games at the end of the season. I don't think we'll be able to keep up with the intensity of Australia, who in comparison to Wales have had their players playing Super 12 rugby week in week out for the last few months.

Tactics wise Hansen may use the old adage that "attack is the best form of defence", but there's little few attacking threats in the Welsh backline, that is unless of course he chooses both Shanklin and Jamie Robinson. Mark Taylor and Stephen Jones have hardly enough pace to break the Australian defence. It is a worrying thought that Mark Jones may be facing up to freak (in the nicest way possible of course) rugby league product Wendell Sailor. Jones would probably be sent flying if he came into contact with a plastic bag.

We've really got to target Australian rucks and mauls, any quick ball would see us in real trouble. The inability to knock anyone back in tackles will allow Gregan to have a field day, like he did last week. You suspect that Martyn Williams will be looking to do a man marking job on the scrum half.

The Welsh defence has improved, in the French match it was superb. But if like in that match we simply sit back and soak up the pressure we will be in for a real hiding. Our fitness has  quite shockingly improved, so we can with a few substitutions not run out of steam until at least the dying minutes. I fear  a lack of concentration will be our biggest Achilles heal, before and after half time will decide the outcome of the game.

Verdict: Wales to put up a good fight but to go down by fifteen points

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