Rugby Union - by Craig Hill

Wallabies - Rugby Union

Australia v Wales: Historical Notes

November 26th 2008 05:17

This is the 28th meeting between the two sides. Australia has won 17 of the previous Tests and Wales nine, with the 2006 clash at the Millennium Stadium drawn 29-29.

Other historical facts about Australia and Wales games:

* The rivalry between the two teams on Welsh soil has been close: Australia has won nine times to Wales’ seven, along with the 2006 draw. Significantly the Wallabies have won just once in their last three visits to Cardiff.

* These two sides met on three occasions last year – twice in Australia, and during the pool phase of the sixth Rugby World Cup, when Cardiff played host to the game. The Wallabies won all three matches, winning the World Cup match 32-20. Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau were among the Australian try-scorers in that game.

* Saturday sees the James Bevan trophy at stake for just the second time – and the first on Welsh home soil. The Trophy was inaugurated last year to commemorate the 100th year of Test Rugby between Australia and Wales. Bevan was an Australian born Welshman who was the first ever captain of the Welsh Rugby team. Australia won the inaugural James Bevan Trophy on home turf last year after defeating Wales 2-0 in the series.

* The most tries scored by an Australian player in a single Test against Wales is two. This has been achieved by nine different players. Matt Giteau, who has three career tries to his name against Wales, is just two behind Chris Latham, whose five tries represent the most by a Wallaby against Wales in Tests.

* Wallaby skipper Stirling Mortlock is 13 points short of becoming just the third Australian to post 50 Test points against Wales.

* Flanker Phil Waugh wins his eighth cap against Wales, tying David Campese for the second most appearances by an Australian against Wales. The pair are one behind George Gregan, who appeared against Wales on nine different occasions. Nathan Sharpe wins his seventh cap against Wales, joining Joe Roff on this tally.

* Australia won the 1999 Rugby World Cup final at the Millennium Stadium, defeating France 35-12 in the final. The Wallabies had earlier beaten a Graham Henry-coached Wales 24-9 in the quarter-finals at the venue.

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Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Wallabies

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Waugh Returns To Wallabies In Wales Test

November 26th 2008 03:52

Phil Waugh will return as a starter for the Qantas Wallabies in Saturday's James Bevan Trophy Rugby Union Test match against Wales at Cardiff. Waugh, who returns to the Millennium Stadium where he led Australia during its 29-29 draw with Wales in 2006, is one of five alterations to the starting combination from that which edged out France 18-13 in Paris last Saturday night.

Ryan Cross is also back, after being a late withdrawal last weekend due to illness; taking the place of the man who stood in for him in the centres at the Stade de France, Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Ashley-Cooper has been bracketed on the bench, with a decision on his involvement to be made later in the week. No 8 Wycliff Palu has been allowed to miss the game after he suffered a shoulder injury in Paris.

Phil Waugh Australia Wallabies Rugby Union

Phil WAugh Returns To The Wallabies Against Cardiff

The addition of Cross is the only change to the backline which started last weekend, with Drew Mitchell remaining at fullback after his first Test of the year in that position.

Waugh, who starts for the fifth time in 2008 while featuring in his 11th Test of the year, is joined by Western Force No 8 Richard Brown, Brumbies lock Mark Chisholm and Waratahs loosehead prop Benn Robinson among the changes to the starting forward pack.

Further changes on the bench see Adam Freier return from a calf injury, appearing for the first time on the Spring Tour, in place of Tatafu Polota-Nau. Prop Matt Dunning and utility forward Dean Mumm have also been named alongside George Smith.

Winger Lote Tuqiri is also included among the run on reserves, albeit bracketed with Ashley-Cooper, after he was a late call-up to fill that role against France due to the match-day reshuffle caused by the unexpected withdrawal of Cross.

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says the changes reflect both a desire to introduce some fresh legs and impetus at the back end of the Spring Tour, while also providing opportunities for other members of the group.

It should not, he said, be interpreted as a sign of the Wallabies under-estimating Wales, who are the playing through Six Nations champions.

“It’s because of our respect for them that we have looked to inject some freshness into our group,” Deans says.

“It’s been a demanding four weeks, with four very hard Test matches back-to-back. To expect the same guys to carry the load right through is unrealistic, and could easily have compromised us.

"The players we have introduced today have been offering a lot to the group both on the field, when they’ve had their opportunity, but also in training and off the field. They’ll bring the impetus we are going to need.”

Although Wales has been defeated by both South Africa (15-20) and New Zealand (9-29) in recent weeks, Deans doesn’t believe Australia’s Tri-Nations rivals have done his side any favours.

Far from denting confidence, Deans believes there is a lot the Welsh will have brought forward from those matches.

Wales led the All Blacks 9-3 just before halftime last weekend, and Deans says the second half reverse will have only strengthened their resolve to throw everything at their last opportunity in the November Test window.

“They know they’re getting close [to beating one of the Southern Hemisphere teams]. As a result, they’ll be looking to bring forward the confidence they have gained out of those two previous performances, and will see us as an opportunity to complete the package.”

The Wallabies arrived in Cardiff on Sunday, having added France (18-13) to the earlier tour wins attained against Italy (30-20) and England (28-14).

While the tour results in London and Paris especially were historically significant, with last Saturday representing Australia’s first win on French soil in eight years, Deans is adamant that his side won’t be easing up in its efforts.

“This weekend is another Test match, and they are precious opportunities not to be taken for granted,” he says.

“We’ve worked hard on our consistency during this trip. Saturday is another chance to reinforce that habit.”

The match is the Wallabies’ 14th and final Test of the year. Australia is bidding for its 10th win.

The Spring tour then concludes with a specially arranged midweek game against the Barbarians club at London’s Wembley Stadium on the evening of Wednesday 3 December.

That match commemorates the Olympic Gold Medal won by the Wallabies at the 1908 London Games.

The Qantas Wallabies team to play Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday 29 November (2.30pm kick off, local, 1.30am, 30 November, AEST), is:

15. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
13. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
12. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies) captain
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
8. Richard Brown (Western Force)
7. Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs)
6. Hugh McMeniman (Queensland Reds)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

Run on reserves:

16. Adam Freier (NSW Waratahs)
17. Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. George Smith (Brumbies)
20. Sam Cordingley (Queensland Reds)
21. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
22. Lote Tuqiri (NSW Waratahs) or Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)

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Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Wallabies

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Wallabies Arrive In Cardiff

November 26th 2008 00:00

The Wallabies gained a hard-fought 18-13 triumph over France in icy cold conditions at Stade de France on Saturday night, and have now arrived in Cardiff for the last Test of their European rugby tour. With wins over Italy and England, the Australians need to beat Wales at Millennium Stadium to achieve a rare northern hemisphere clean sweep.

Halfback Luke Burgess says they will need to be on the top of their game in order to conquer the Six Nations champions and become the first Australian tourists since 1996 to win four consecutive Tests on a spring tour campaign.

"I watched the Wales-France Six Nations game. They're super tough and really skilful," Burgess said.

Luke Burgess Australia Wallabies Rugby Union

Wallaby Luke Burgess

"They've got a big halfback who throws very flat long passes and their forwards are really good. They seem to be very composed around their breakdowns and they just win ball after ball, ruck ball after ruck ball and they're going to be very tough.

"I think it will be another game with a lot of tactical kicking, a lot field position. Yeah, it's going to be tough."

The Wallabies were hoping to receive a warmer reception in Cardiff than the chilly conditions they encountered in Paris, where the mercury dropped to zero during Saturday night's game - before snow whitened parts of the city and its outskirts on Sunday.

"I haven't worn those long sleeve skins for a while and I needed them tonight," Wallabies centre Adam Ashley-Cooper said after the match.

"It was cold, one of the coldest games I've played. And I thought I was escaping the cold leaving London last week. But it's worse here. What's doing?"

Despite the trying conditions, Ashley-Cooper said the Wallabies drew plenty of positives from their third straight come-from-behind win. "It means a lot," he said.

"It means we've got the belief now that winning's a habit and we want to make it a habit and we want to I suppose address it again this week.

"We're really starting to gel and we're finding a lot of spirit within the team and I can't wait for the challenge again next week against the Welsh."

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Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Wallabies

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