By Tomas Marks
Could this be 11 and all out for Warren Gatland as he tackles his toughest test after losing ten consecutive matches?
Gatland’s first reign saw him win 85 from 151 games with a 56% general win record, 60% record in World Cup matches and 71% in the Six Nations.
So, the head coach had credit in the bank when he returned for his second stint after guiding Wales to four Six Nations titles and two World Cup semi finals.
However, Gatland 2 has been very problematic for him as he has only won six matches, giving him a 27% win record.
Gatland has the coaching ability to turn this around, but can he still transfer that ability onto this group of players?
The only starters who have survived the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina from last year are Gareth Thomas, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan and Aaron Wainwright.
If you analyse both squads for this encounter, Australia have an average of 33 caps per player and Wales have a measly 19 caps.
Warren Gatland should RESIGN and Wales would be better off without him, insists David Moffett as the Kiwi coach’s team perch on the brink of a historic new low https://t.co/fVbKvEkgqS
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) November 16, 2024
Adam Beard is the only Welsh player with over 50 Test matches, but Australia on the other hand, have centurion James Slipper, captain Allan Alaalatoa, scrum half Nic White and powerhouses Rob Valetini and Samu Kerevi, who will be winning his 50th Test cap.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has certainly gone with experience over youth in this Test match as the Wallabies try to gain another win towards their quest of achieving a European Grand Slam.
The 1984 Wallabies are still the first and only team to achieve this accomplishment.
Schmidt has gone with experience and power as a plan to beat Wales with 145kg Will Skelton back in the second row, Rob Valetini at eight and Kerevi at 12.
The biggest shock is that Schmidt has opted to use superstar Joseph Aukuso Suaalii as a sub and he could light up the Principality pitch if he emerges in the final stages of the match.
One of the best individual performances of the Autumn Series has been from prop Angus Bell as he beat nine defenders against England.
Wales will need to be wary of him, the power ball carriers as well as the “razzle dazzle” of winger Andrew Kellaway and full backTom Wright.
Wright scored last week and also scored a sensational solo try in the summer Tests, providing another huge defensive challenge for Wales.
Plan B for Australia would be to unleash scrum half – and the player they call “Wasp” – Tate McDermott to buzz his way through the weary and tired Welsh defenders.
If this doesn’t work, Schmidt has the option of bringing on the new sensation Suaalii.
He received a man of the match award for his maiden professional rugby union match against England and he was exquisite in winning three aerial battles, offloading, and a delievring a threat with his passing and running.
Legendary Wallaby Tim Horan believed that Suaalii connected and lifted the team to another level against England.
As a pure rugby fan, one can hope that Suaalii goes from strength to strength as we need superstars in the game of rugby union.
Suaalii broke the Australian U12s high jump record in 2015 with a jump of 1.78m and we should all hope he can be record-breaking in rugby with his athletic and physical attributes.
Gatland has a difficult task as he has lost scrum half Tomos Williams and winger Mason Grady to injury and they will leave a big void in terms of attacking threats.
Wales have selected a strong front five, combative Jac Morgan back at seven, and they will hope that Aaron Wainwright regains his form and quality for this match.
This new backline doesn’t contain any players that started that defeat to the Pumas a year ago and it will be interesting to see the evolution of the backs.
Gareth Anscombe and Ben Thomas have the ability to create tries for Wales and they have Blair Murray, Tom Rogers and Cameron Winnett to finish these chances this week.
Wales will need to be accurate and ruthless to finish their scoring chances.
Australia will be wary of the Welsh driving line-out threat and this could be a lucrative area for Wales to gain points and a few yellow cards.
But unlike last week, the Australian team are hot favourites for this match and Wales are firm underdogs.
We have seen before, however, that Wales often embrace being underdogs and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Wales gain a victory in a must win match for the nation.
