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| Warren Gatland © Gallo Images |
Wales coach Warren Gatland has warned his side to expect an
Australia backlash this weekend but said they should not be scared
of being dubbed favourites for Saturday's match at the Millennium
Stadium.
Wales beat Australia 21-18 in last year's corresponding fixture
and this latest encounter will be their seventh match against
Tri-Nations opposition in 22 tests since New Zealander Gatland took
charge in 2007.
But with Australia dramatically beaten 9-8 by Scotland last
weekend, after a 20-20 draw with Ireland ended their hopes of the
coveted grand slam, Wales find themselves in the unfamiliar
position of being expected to win against a major southern
hemisphere team.
"One of the challenges for us is possibly accepting what might
be a tag of favourites," said Gatland on Tuesday ahead of
Australia's 31-3 tour match win over Cardiff.
"The current coaching regime has something like a 66 per cent
(overall) success rate, and we have played against more southern
hemisphere teams than any other Welsh regime.
"We haven't been good enough on two occasions to beat the All
Blacks, but we've played South Africa three times, and on two of
those three occasions we had chances to win.
"The next progression for the side is going in, handling that
expectation and developing as a team."
Former Ireland and Wasps coach Gatland added: "Knowing the
Australian attitude - it doesn't matter whether it is rugby union,
cricket, rugby league, whatever - when their backs are to the wall,
they tend to respond.
"We expect them to play with a lot of passion."
Gatland has made just one change to the team that beat Argentina
33-16 last Saturday, recalling scrumhalf Dwayne Peel instead of
Gareth Cooper.
That means nine players - captain Ryan Jones, James Hook, Leigh
Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Andy Powell, Luke Charteris, Alun-Wyn
Jones, Paul James and Gethin Jenkins - will have started in all
four of Wales's November tests.
But there is no place for Tom Shanklin even though the
experienced centre has recovered from the broken nose that kept him
out against Argentina.
So Jonathan Davies keeps his midfield spot alongside Jamie
Roberts.
"We haven't got a lot of options behind Tom," Gatland explained.
"It was a young centre combination last week that went okay, and
we just felt we wanted them to have another chance this weekend.
"It's also important if you pick up injuries going forward that
we need some alternatives."
Australia's quest to match the celebrated 1984 Wallabies by
completing the grand slam - beating England, Ireland, Scotland and
Wales on the one tour - started well enough with an 18-9 win over
England.
However, since then things have unravelled for a Wallaby side
coached by Gatland's compatriot Robbie Deans.
Yet their mood coming into the Wales game might have been so
different had a conversion from the normally reliable Matt Giteau,
which was the last kick of the game, gone over at Murrayfield.
"Australia should not have lost - they created so many
opportunities," said Gatland.
"It was a great win for Scotland, and you have got to
congratulate them, but if that game was played 99 times out of 100
and Australia took their chances, they would have won.
"As a team, Australia have been quite unlucky. They could easily
have been playing for a grand slam this weekend.
"My experience of Australian teams in the past is when they are
in this situation and taken a bit of criticism, there is normally
only one way they come out - with all guns blazing.
"Out of the Tri-Nations teams, they are the ones that have
played the most rugby. They have a very young, developing side with
a lot of potential.
"The test for us is to continue with our progression on
Saturday, and be smart in the way we play."
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