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Gatland facing the sack? 5 Wales-Australia talking points

By PA
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 10: Warren Gatland, Head Coach of Wales, looks on as the team warms up prior to the Guinness Six Nations 2024 match between England and Wales at Twickenham Stadium on February 10, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Wales continue their Autumn Nations Series campaign when they tackle Australia in Cardiff on Sunday.

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Defeat for Warren Gatland’s team would send them spinning to a record 11th successive Test match loss.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the talking points heading into the game.

Unwanted record staring Wales in the face

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Wales will reach an all-time results low in their 143-year international rugby history if they lose to Australia.

A defeat against Fiji last time out saw Wales equal a run of 10 Test reversals set under Gatland’s fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen in 2002 and 2003.

Fixture
Internationals
Wales
11:10
17 Nov 24
Australia
All Stats and Data

Since beating Georgia at the 2023 World Cup, Wales have been toppled by Argentina, Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Italy, South Africa, Australia (twice) and Fiji.

With world champions South Africa looming on November 23, Wales could conceivably go through a whole calendar year without winning a Test, which they have not experienced since 1937.

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Warren Gatland in the firing line

Since returning for a second stint as Wales boss ahead of the 2023 Six Nations, Gatland has overseen just six wins from 22 Tests, which starkly contrasts with his first 11-year spell that delivered World Cup semi-final appearances, Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and briefly world number one status.

Critics, including former Wales players, have taken aim at Gatland leading up to Australia’s Principality Stadium visit, and team announcement media duties included a number of questions about his future.

The 61-year-old says he has not thought about stepping away and he is comfortable with any decisions that might be made. The latter scenario is not thought to be imminent, but Wales need a win like never before.

World Cup thumping seems an age ago

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It was only just under 14 months ago on a Sunday night in Lyon that Wales put Australia to the sword. They cruised into the World Cup quarter-finals by posting a record 40-6 win that underlined Australia’s demise under Eddie Jones.

The Wallabies ultimately made a pool stage exit and head coach Jones departed just two months later.

Wales, though, have won only one Test match since then, while Australia are now in the hands of former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt. They won both Tests of a summer series against Wales this year, and although five defeats followed in the Rugby Championship, Australia hit a new high under Schmidt by defeating England in their autumn opener.

Jac Morgan makes timely return
Wales’ 2023 World Cup co-captain Morgan has not started a Test match since that tournament, and he has been missed.

He led Wales in their World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina and a non-cap victory over the Barbarians, but it has been a subsequent tale of injury woe, with knee and hamstring problems meaning he took no part in last season’s Six Nations or the summer tour to Australia.

The Ospreys flanker is a player whose performance levels rarely dip; he leads from the front and regularly helps to give Wales momentum.

If Wales are to end their long losing run, then Morgan firing on all cylinders is a vital part of that ambition.

Suaalii magic could leave Wales spellbound
It took Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii just one game to announce his arrival on rugby union’s world stage.

A professional debut in the sport away from home against England represented a king-sized challenge, but the 6ft 5in centre took it in his stride, playing a starring role as the Wallabies posted a memorable 42-37 victory.

Asked about his impact, Gatland said “the game needs superstars”, and there is every chance that 21-year-old former rugby league star Suaalii could become exactly that.

On the bench this weekend, Wales must find a way of stopping his prolific off-loading ability when he joins the action, while Suaalii’s prodigious aerial work was another key element behind Australia’s Allianz Stadium success.

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Comments

2 Comments
B
Bull Shark 3 mins ago

If you or I got zero % for performance this year at work - I’m sure we’d be in the firing line too.


I thought Gatland was a Poophol during the Lions tour. Now he’s confirmed it.

L
LRB 1 hr ago

It's really sad to see this proud & passionate rugby nation in this predicament. Hopefully they can figure it out & reverse this. Gatland should resign or be fired so they can do this.

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Hellhound 34 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

I mean overall talent, not that they will all play 20 years. That is impossible with rugby. The younger players like Elrigh is of course not world class yet. With more experience they will become world class. They are already exceptional players. Not even Eben and the current boys was world class when they started. They were exceptional yes, but not world class. Only experience brings that.


Generational players is very few and far inbetween who is world class from the off. The younger players can only become world class with the proper training and experience isn't something that can be bought. It's something they have to earn through their careers.


As for SRP being a good competition, I disagree. It's slanted in NZ favour and always has been. It's not what it used to be. The URC is now rated as the top club competition in the world next to the top 14 outside of the CC, and I didn't make up that rankings. You feel SRP is better because of our bias towards the NH, but it simply is not.


Yes, I don't know all the young Bucs of NZ coming through, but most of those you named I've seen and they are very good players but not exceptional nor world class. Just as with SA youngsters, that is something that will come with experience and they will become world class and is definitely the future for them.


NZ and Australia don't have the player pool depth that SA have. NZ's are bigger than most, but then most of their stars came from the Island nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. If you count them, then maybe yes, they have as big a pool.


NZ will always be a top 3 team, as will SA. At least for the next 2 decades. That doesn't mean that other countries don't have some world class youngsters coming through either.


I don't claim that SA will win everything for the next 20 years. Nor that they will win the next 5 WC's. A lot depends on players, coaches, law changes and how the game keeps changing. There is too much variables. SA do have a bright future for the next 20 years , players who will hold the flag high. Same with NZ.


Nothing and no one can stop the Rivalry. I know the Irish is trying to replace the Boks with themselves as the main rivals. Everyone tunes in to watch the Boks vs AB's, all over the world. Every year. That is the most anticipated Tests by everyone every year.

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