Australia will look to end a tough year on a winning note when they face Wales at the Millennium Stadium today.
Although they remain third in the world rankings, the Wallabies have won just two of their past 10 Tests, albeit one of those victories was against world and Tri-Nations kings South Africa, and come into this game on the back of their first loss to Scotland in 27 years.
Australia started this tour dreaming of emulating the 1984 Wallabies by completing a grand slam of wins over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales — now the aim is to surpass their predecessors of only a year ago who, in the corresponding fixture, lost 21-18 to Wales.
PHOTO: AFP
Arguably the most worrying thing for Wallaby coach Robbie Deans is that Warren Gatland, his Wales counterpart and fellow New Zealander, has been complimentary about Australia.
Gatland rarely misses an opportunity to annoy the opposition in the build up to a Test match, but this week he has been positively charming regarding former Canterbury supremo Deans.
“I’ve got a huge amount of respect for Robbie and what he’s achieved in rugby and Super 14, and the successes that he’s had,” Gatland said. “I think out of the three Tri-Nations teams, they [Australia] are the team that’s played the most rugby. They’ve got a very young side and they will gain a huge amount of experience from this northern hemisphere tour. In two years’ time, I think you’ll see a really strong Australian side. They’ve been creating a lot. They haven’t been finishing things off, but they do go out and try and play rugby.”
Australia will have to improve their finishing and composure, however, after dominating territory and possession, yet still losing 9-8 to Scotland.
A further worry for the Wallabies is that Wales are set to pose a greater attacking threat than that offered by the Scots.
One consolation for Australia is that experienced playmaker Matt Giteau, whose missed conversion with the last kick of the game at Murrayfield would have secured victory if on target, surely cannot have such a bad day at the office two weeks running.
Normally a record of two Test wins in 10 would have a coach worried about their job prospects, but Deans’ case is different. Australia Rugby Union boss John O’Neill invested so much of his reputation in appointing Deans as the Wallabies’ first foreign coach 18 months ago, he is unlikely to admit he’s now made a mistake.
For this match, Dean Mumm, who captained the Wallabies to a 31-3 thrashing of Cardiff Blues on Tuesday, has been rewarded with a place in the Test side.
He now has the tricky task of opposing giant Wales lock Luke Charteris in the lineout after relegating Mark Chisholm to the bench.
Rotation sees David Pocock start at open-side flanker, while in the backs Digby Ioane is at outside center, instead of Ryan Cross, after a shoulder injury forced his late withdrawal at Murrayfield.
Scrum-half Will Genia (knee), No. 8 Wycliff Palu (neck) and loosehead prop Benn Robinson (shoulder) have all been passed fit after coming through training on Thursday.
Kurtley Beale is on the bench after scoring two tries against Cardiff and the 20-year-old utility back is now in line to win his first Test cap.
“This match is a big test of our collective character as a group,” Deans said. “The Welsh are a formidable opponent. They’ve consistently been one of the best teams in Europe during the last two years.”
Wales, who in diminutive yet dashing wing Shane Williams have the physical embodiment of a rugby underdog, find themselves in the unusual position of being expected to beat a Tri-Nations team.
“One of the challenges for us is possibly accepting what might be a tag of favorites,” said Gatland, who has recalled scrumhalf Dwayne Peel in place of Gareth Cooper in the only change to the Wales team that beat World Cup semi-finalists Argentina 33-16 last weekend. “The next progression for the side is handling that expectation and developing as a team.”
■FRANCE V NEW ZEALAND
REUTERS, MARCOUSSIS, FRANCE
The wins over world champions South Africa and Samoa have sharpened the ambitions of France coach Marc Lievremont, who is now eyeing a victory over New Zealand today in Marseille.
“To win that game would really be splendid, huge,” he told journalists on Thursday at the France training camp in Marcoussis. “To end this tour unbeaten after defeating twice the No. 1 team in the world, South Africa first and then New Zealand who had just recovered top spot, would be an exceptional feat for our young team. I think we can do it.”
The France coach, however, acknowledged the task would be difficult because the All Blacks were also approaching the game as “the summit of their European tour.”
“Saturday’s test is their last game of the season. They are unbeaten so far in their tour, but they know that this is the game that will count to assess their performance,” he said. “It’s also our last meeting scheduled before we face each other in the group phase of the 2011 World Cup and they will be out for revenge after we defeated them in Dunedin last June.”
Lievremont said he had told his players to go into the game with all due respect for the All Blacks, but not to “watch them play and place them on a pedestal.”
“They have proven through their wins over Wales, Italy and England they are again the best team in the world, and they have recovered their ambitions and their game after the return of their captain Richie McCaw and their playmaker Dan Carter,” he said. “We cannot rely on the surprise factor that helped us in Dunedin.”
■
IRELAND V S AFRICA
REUTERS, DUBLIN
Victor Matfield returns to the South Africa team to face Ireland today as one of four changes from the side that beat Italy last week.
The Croke Park clash between the world and Tri-Nations champions and the Six Nations title holders was billed as the grand finale of the Springboks’ European tour, but after defeat in France and the midweek team’s losses to Leicester and Saracens, the game has become a salvage operation.
Matfield, left out of the 32-10 win over Italy, comes back for Andries Bekker alongside Bakkies Botha in the second row.
South Africa also have a new-look front row, after the struggles against France and, in the first half, versus Italy.
Tendai Mtawarira returns for Wian du Preez at loosehead, B.J. Botha starts at tighthead and captain John Smit moves back to hooker in place of Adriaan Strauss.
Schalk Burger returns to the flank, with Danie Rossouw switching to No. 8 to accommodate him.
Burger is likely to get a hot reception from the Dublin crowd following his yellow card for gouging the eye of Irish winger Luke Fitzgerald at the start of the second Test against the British and Irish Lions earlier this year.
Fitzgerald misses today’s game after suffering a knee injury that has ruled him out for several months.
In the Springbok backline, Wynand Olivier replaces the injured Adi Jacobs at inside center.
Ireland-based center Jean de Villiers, who joined the squad on Wednesday, is among the replacements, along with uncapped flanker Dewald Potgieter.
Ireland are seeking their third successive win over the Springboks, having beaten them in Dublin in 2006 and 2004.
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