Wales ready for one final push
Having got so close to their goal only to come up just short in the first two tests, Wales are ready for one final push this weekend to end their country's 43 years without a win over the Wallabies in Australia.
The Six Nations champions named an unchanged side for Saturday's third test at the Sydney Football Stadium, an indication of that the Welsh believe victory is a matter of better execution rather than wholesale changes to their game.
"We know what we have to do to beat Australia, but there is a difference between knowing how to win and achieving that aim," Wales caretaker coach Rob Howley said.
"The players can take some credit for the way they played for the large part of the match on Saturday, but that will be scant consolation if we don't come home with a win in this series."
Australia have ridden their luck a little to clinch the series 2-0 and rack up five straight wins over the Welsh, not least when they needed Mike Harris's late penalty to edge the tourists 25-23 in Melbourne last weekend.
They have had to do it without a trio of their best attacking backline talents, however, with Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor all missing the first two tests through injury.
Beale, who has an assault charge for a bar fracas hanging over his head, returns at fullback in one of two changes to the Wallabies team along with the recall of hard-running lock Sitaleki Timani.
LINEOUT CONTROL
Despite the series being locked up already, Beale said another win was still very important as the team look ahead to the inaugural season of the Rugby Championship against New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina.
"We're really focused on winning the series three-zip, that'll put us in good stead for the Rugby Championship," he said.
"Wales are a great team and we believe that by playing them now, it'll give us a good opportunity to go into the Rugby Championship with a lot of confidence."
For their part, Wales will need to tighten control of their own lineout and contest more effectively for the ball so they put their hulking backs in scoring positions more frequently.
"We'd like to basically win the territory battle," defensive coach Shaun Edwards said.
"It's something we've struggled quite a bit against Australia in past encounters and last weekend was a good example, they had nearly five minutes in our 22 and we had one and scored a try."
Edwards said the Welsh would be talking to referee Craig Joubert about the all-important breakdown area, where he felt "legs were being held together" when his team were trying to present the ball.
Australia: 15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Rob Horne, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Berrick Barnes, 9-Will Genia; 8-Wycliff Palu, 7-David Pocock (captain), 6-Scott Higginbotham, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Sitaleki Timani; 3-Sekope Kepu, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Benn Robinson.
Wales: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Ashley Beck, 11-George North, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips; 8-Ryan Jones, 7-Sam Warburton (captain), 6-Dan Lydiate, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 4-Bradley Davies, 3-Adam Jones, 2-Matthew Rees, 1-Gethin Jenkins.
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
