By Zippy
November 24 2005

Preview of the last of the Autumn Internationals between Australia and Wales, it’s a must win game for both sides short on confidence, for details read on.

Wales: G Thomas (Toulouse, capt); D James (Llanelli Scarlets), M Watkins (Llanelli Scarlets), S Parker (Ospreys), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Clermont Auvergne), G Cooper (Newport Gwent Dragons); D Jones (Ospreys), R Thomas (Cardiff Blues), C Horsman (Worcester), I Gough (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Sidoli (Cardiff Blues), C Charvis (Newcastle), M Williams (Cardiff Blues), M Owen (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: M Davies (Gloucester), A Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Phillips (Cardiff Blues), C Sweeney (Newport Gwent Dragons), Lee Byrne (Llanelli Scarlets).

 

Zippy On Wales:

 

Mike Ruddock has stuck with most of the side who put in an improved performance against the South Africans last week, the pack is completely unchanged and this is an area Wales must dominate in, Chris Horsman has been warned to check his temper.

 

The backline contains 2 changes, the first is positional where Captain Gareth Thomas moves back to full back where he’ll be expected to come into the line and make the right option where Lee Byrne failed. The 2^nd change sees Scarlets centre Mathew J Watkins come into the outside centre position, he will be expected to add a cutting edge that Wales have been missing.

 

Australia: Chris Latham (Queensland); Mark Gerrard (ACT), Lote Tuqiri (New South Wales), Morgan Turinui (NSW), Drew Mitchell (QLD); Mat Rogers (NSW), George Gregan (ACT, capt); Matt Dunning (NSW), Brendan Cannon (WA), David Fitter (WA), Hugh McMeniman (QLD), Nathan Sharpe (Western Australia), Phil Waugh (NSW), John Roe (QLD), George Smith (ACT).
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW), Al Baxter (NSW), Mark Chisholm (ACT), Scott Fava (WA), Chris Whitaker (NSW), Lloyd Johansson (QLD), Wendell Sailor (NSW).

 

Zippy on Australia:

 

We’ll kick off with the backs as I can be positive there, given enough ball they’ll win the game without question, anyway enough of that.

 

The forward pack is plain terrible and its where Wales must capitalise, the front row features 2 unknowns and a prop who was destroyed at Twickenham, 2^nd row is average, the number 8 is an openside.

 

Prediction:

 

Here is comes:

 

Wales by 5

 

Come on boys!

 

Wales vs Australia

Saturday 26th November, KO1700hrs

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff