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Wallabies v Wales, preview
May 24, 2007 - 5:12pm
Story by: Sportal
Venue & time
Telstra Stadium, Sydney. Saturday May 26, 20:00 (AEST).
Head to head
Played 24: Australia 14, Wales 9, drawn 1
Last time
Cardiff Arms Park (Cardiff), Wales 29 - 29 Australia
Walking wounded & team changes
Wallabies tighthead prop Al Baxter was a late withdrawal this week due to illness. Brumbies front-rower Guy Shepherdson comes into the starting line-up with Benn Robinson earning a spot on the bench. Prop Rodney Blake and utility back Cameron Shepherd are out with short-term injuries while fullback Chris Latham (knee) and prop Greg Holmes (shoulder) are on the long-term injured list. After a hectic Super 14 season, Lote Tuqiri is rested from the Test series against Wales while George Smith gets a bit of rest with a bench start. Matt Giteau starts at scrumhalf ahead of George Gregan while Adam Ashley-Cooper gets a debut start at No.12 and Julian Huxley debuts at fullback. Dan Vickerman makes his comeback to international rugby after more than six months out with a shoulder reconstruction.
Wales has left 18 internationals at home to recuperate from a torrid club and international season. However, the Welsh are adamant that the players on the current tour deserve to be here and plenty will press for World Cup places. Dynamic young flyhalf James Hook forms a new halves pairing with cheeky No.9 Mike Phillips. Flanker Gavin Henson and reserve winger Michael Owen are coming back from injury. Unfortunately hooker Gareth Williams has returned home after tearing his calf at training. Matthew Rees will start this game with the No.2 jersey and then leave the team to attend the birth of his first child. British Lion Colin Charvis has passed a test on his bruised knee and will start but winger Aled Brew is still recovering from his knee injury is ruled out.
Form
The Wallabies had an unspectacular series on their spring tour to the UK and Italy last November. An experimental team earned a draw with Wales, wins over Italy and Scotland, and a loss to Ireland. If Super 14 form is anything to go by, the Brumbies finished the year with plenty of momentum so Gregan, Larkham, Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Gerrard and Huxley should ensure the Wallabies backline is plays with confidence.
After winning the Grand Slam a few years ago, Wales had a disastrous 2007 Six Nations campaign with just one victory to their credit, 27-18 win over England in the final round. Before that they were outclassed by Ireland and France and demoralised by Italy and Scotland. To their credit they were quite competitive in most of their matches but their form was very patchy.
Who's hot
Matt Giteau had a colossal year at the Western Force playing at flyhalf and No.12. Stephen Larkham was in a purple patch over the month of the Super 14 while Huxley, Ashley-Cooper, Smith, Mark Chisholm and Stephen Hoiles have been in excellent form for the Brumbies. Rocky Elsom has stood out for the Waratahs, while Wycliff Palu was getting back to his best in the last few rounds.
Wales' No.10 Hook has been touted as a player to watch and has been in sizzling form of late, while Bath scrumhalf Williams is also player with a great reputation. Charvis had an outstanding season for the Dragons as did 19-year-old Ceri Sweeney. Prop Iestyn Thomas has recovered from a serious neck injury and is getting back to the type of form his showed at the 2003 World Cup - he will surprise at loosehead. Skipper Gareth Thomas celebrates the match by becoming the most capped Welsh player, while Australian-born lock Brett Cockbain will be looking make his mark against his former nation.
Teams
Australia:
1. Matt Dunning,
2. Stephen Moore,
3. Guy Shepherdson,
4. Nathan Sharpe,
5. Mark Chisholm,
6. Rocky Elsom,
7. Phil Waugh (c),
8. Wycliff Palu,
9. Matt Giteau,
10. Stephen Larkham,
11. Drew Mitchell,
12. Adam Ashley-Cooper,
13. Stirling Mortlock (vc),
14. Mark Gerrard,
15. Julian Huxley.
16. Adam Freier,
17. Benn Robinson,
18. Dan Vickerman,
19. Stephen Hoiles,
20. George Smith (vc),
21, George Gregan,
22. Scott Staniforth
Wales:
1. Iestyn Thomas,
2. Matthew Rees,
3. Adam Jones,
4. Brent Cockbain,
5. Rob Sidoli,
6. Colin Charvis,
7. Gavin Thomas,
8. Jonathan Thomas,
9. Mike Phillips,
10. James Hook,
11. Chris Czekaj,
12. Sonny Parker,
13. Jamie Robinson
14. Gareth Thomas,
15. Lee Byrne.
16. Richard Hibbard,
17. Ceri Jones,
18. Michael Owen,
19. Scott Morgan,
20. Gareth Cooper,
21. Ceri Sweeney,
22. Gavin Henson.