Wales v Australia: Only victory will do for Warren Gatland"s side against the ...

Wales have captivated and seduced so often with their stylish rugby, only to

come up short on the scoreboard.

Where Ireland

were last Sunday as New

Zealand trumped them at the death, Wales have been with Australia in

their past four encounters, crushed and hollow-eyed.

There have been only 13 points between the teams in those matches, a narrow

margin in its detail but an enormous chasm in consequence.

Until Wales lay the Wallaby bogey, there will be doubts about their mental

aptitude and their ability to deliver on the global stage.

Champion teams do not come off second best, as Wales have now done eight times

in succession against Australia.

Warburton has acknowledged that. It is nothing to do with luck, everything to

do with ability.

Summoning the rage of tribal ancients to see off England

with a resounding flourish in March is one thing.

Showing the hard-nosed nous to hold the southern hemisphere giants at bay is

quite another.

For all the admirable power and productivity of their own stars, men such as

Leigh Halfpenny, Toby Faletau and George North, players fit to rival the

best the south can put on display, a black hole remains in their collective

make-up into which they tip all too readily when the big moments arrive.

Now is the time to show that those lapses are a thing of the past.

Now is the time to play with the assurance that characterised these self-same

players in the red of the British

and Irish Lions only a few months ago.

Same colour shirt, but wholly different outcome. England manage to make the

transition.

“It is frustrating watching England beat these teams only for us to not quite

get the result,” Biggar said.

Talk of the uplift from the Lions experience has been dismissed in the camp,

but it will still resonate.

Alun-Wyn Jones at lock, Mike Phillips, the scum-half, flanker Dan Lydiate and

Alex Cuthbert, fit to reclaim his place on the wing, all have a store of

memories on which to draw.

Cuthbert’s availability ahead of schedule is a boost. The wing may lack match

fitness after his swift recovery from a hairline fracture of an ankle but

his presence is valued.

“It is a big ask to come straight in like this but that is a reflection of how

much we feel we have missed Alex,” Rob Howley, the Wales and Lions attack

coach, said.

“His work-rate on and off the ball is phenomenal.”

Cuthbert’s strike-rate, nine tries in 18 Tests for Wales, is pretty impressive

too.

If Wales are to emerge from their southern misery – one win in 23 games since

Warren Gatland came into office in 2008 – then their back three have to

perform.

All are class acts. Halfpenny’s contribution, be it with the boot or in the

open field, is key.

The Cardiff Blues full-back, such a force for the Lions, has carried on his

rich vein of form, missing only one from his past 17 shots at goal.

If the names of Cuthbert, North and Halfpenny feature in dispatches, then

Wales will be in business.

They are short-staffed, though, through injury, with an onus on Scott and Owen

Williams in the centre, not only to shore up the midfield but also to

provide the fulcrum around which the back-three marauders can prosper.

Biggar’s role will be pivotal as well. He has been preferred to Rhys

Priestland and knows he has to provide direction.

Australia are a better side than they were against England a month ago, when

they slipped to defeat after leading at half-time.

They have won all three matches since, against Italy,

Ireland and Scotland,

even managing to overcome the inner turbulence of a boozy night out in

Dublin that led to sanctions for 15 players.

Two of them, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nic Cummins, return to the starting

line-up.

There are threats from many quarters, but notably in the improved form of

Quade Cooper at fly-half, who is winning his 50th cap, and the box-office

talent of Israel Folau at full-back.

If either is allowed to run free, then Wales will be chasing shadows and

mourning yet another missed opportunity.

“When Cooper is on the front foot he is a devastating player,” Biggar said.

“I am nowhere near as talented, but it is about playing your own game.

“It is hugely important that we man up physically and shut down their space.”

On that rests so much. Judgment Day beckons.

Millennium Stadium line-ups (kick-off 5pm, live on BBC2)

Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), O

Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Scarlets), G North (Northampton); D

Biggar (Ospreys), M Phillips (unattached); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), R

Hibbard (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), A-W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans

(Ospreys), D Lydiate (Racing Metro), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), T

Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: K Owens (Scarlets), R Bevington (Ospreys), S Lee

(Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Williams

(Scarlets), R Priestland (Scarlets), L Williams (Scarlets).

Australia: I Folau (NSW Waratahs); J Tomane (ACT Brumbies), A

Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs), C Leali’ifano (ACT Brumbies), N Cummins

(Western Force); Q Cooper (Queensland Reds), W Genia (Queensland Reds); J

Slipper (Queensland Reds), S Moore (ACT Brumbies), S Kepu (NSW Waratahs), R

Simmons (Queensland Reds), J Horwill (Queensland Reds), S Fardy (ACT

Brumbies), M Hooper (NSW Waratahs), B Mowen (ACT Brumbies, capt).

Replacements: T Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs), B Robinson (NSW Waratahs), B

Alexander (ACT Brumbies), K Douglas (NSW Waratahs), D Dennis (NSW Waratahs),

N White (ACT Brumbies), M Harris (Queensland Reds), B Foley (NSW Waratahs).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).

Assistant referees: Alain Rolland and George Clancy (both Ireland).

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24456254

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Wales v Australia: Only victory will do for Warren Gatland"s side against the ...