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Joe Schmidt offers comforting words to 'long time' rival Warren Gatland
By PA
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt feels that “anyone can have a lean spell” when teams are in transition periods.
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The Wallabies will send Autumn Nations Series opponents Wales crashing to an all time low of 11 successive Test defeats if they win Sunday’s clash in Cardiff.
Wales have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup as head coach Warren Gatland continues his attempts to mould a new squad.
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There are mitigating factors, with players such as Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Dan Biggar, George North, Ken Owens and Gareth Davies all retiring from international rugby during the past 18 months, while Louis Rees-Zammit went to the NFL and injuries have severely hampered the likes of Taulupe Faletau and Josh Adams.
Gatland has also capped more than 20 players since returning for a second stint in charge ahead of the 2023 Six Nations, but Test results still stand out like a sore thumb: played 22, won six, lost 16.
Australia suffered a 40-6 thumping against Wales at the last World Cup, with head coach Eddie Jones leaving two months later and former Ireland boss Schmidt being appointed as his successor.
It has been far from plain sailing for Australia, with the Wallabies losing five of their six Rugby Championship games under Schmidt, but they claimed a 2-0 summer Test series triumph against Wales and posted a statement victory over England last time out.
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“You are on this treadmill and you are so busy trying to take care of your own world,” Schmidt said.
“I’ve known Gats for a long time. He was obviously highly successful in his previous tenure with Wales.
“I think anyone can have a lean spell when teams are transitioning. I look at some of the players he had when I first started competing with Ireland against Wales.
“There were some good players there – so many of them that really made it tough. It didn’t matter what position, there were some really good players in those positions.
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“I think they have got some really good players now. Adam Beard is a really good athlete – I think both second rows are strong – someone like Jac Morgan is so tough on the ball, Aaron Wainwright was a bit of a handful for us in the first Test (in the summer) before he got hurt.
“Dewi Lake, for a young hooker, led superbly. You’ve got guys like that. I think there is a period of time that it takes for them to adjust to Test rugby.
“That is part of that transition that I guess Gats is trying to accelerate at the moment.
“For us, I think we’ve had 17 or 18 debutants this year. We are a little bit in a similar situation.”
Schmidt has made six changes from the side that accounted for England, including exciting midfield prospect Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii moving out of the starting XV and joining Schmidt’s replacements.
Samu Kerevi replaces Suaalii, while prop Allan Alaalatoa starts as captain with Harry Wilson being sidelined due to concussion.
Wilson’s absence from the back row means a first Test start for flanker Seru Uru, with Rob Valetini moving across to number eight, while lock Will Skelton, scrum-half Nic White and wing Max Jorgensen also feature.
