Warren Gatland has named the Wales team to take on Australia in the Pool A decider on Saturday.
Gareth Anscombe makes his first start of the campaign at fullback, having been called in at injury cover, and joins Alex Cuthbert and Liam Williams in a potent back three. George North shifts to the 13 shirt and joins Jamie Roberts in the centres.
Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar continue their successful half-back partnership, while in the pack Samson Lee and Paul James are preferred as the props. Luke Charteris gets the nod ahead of Bradley Davies and joins Alun-Wyn Jones in the engine room.
Finally, the selection of Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric in the back-row suggests Wales are expecting an open game, and will also help them counter the threat of David Pocock at the breakdown.
“Saturday is another huge encounter and both sides will be coming in with momentum and looking to top Pool A,” said Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland.
“We have been impressed with Australia so far in this competition and we know a step up is required at Twickenham this weekend. It is still all to play for in terms of the knock-out phases. We’ve trained well this week, had a full squad to pick from and it is great to welcome back players from injury.”
WALES TEAM TO PLAY AUSTRALIA
Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Capt) (Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby), James Hook (Gloucester Rugby).
So is this listing North at centre, Anscombe at FB, Liam Williams on the wing? Very interesting …
Gethin out of the squad completely is a surprise – could miss his breakdown work. However, we finally get to see Tips/Warbs starting a match together again.
Looks like a team with the aim to win but with North in the centre a case of trying something in a game that it isn’t essential to win to see if it works well enough to repeat in the quarter finals. I am vaguely terrified of how North may hold up in defence in the centre.
Yep Brighty. Running angles etc from the Aussies could be a real problem.
Cementhead has gone for experience and the guys he always picks rather than Tyler Morgan (who I’d rather see at No13 than North).
I think that Tips and SW will compensate for the loss of Jenkins who has been crucified by every front row in this tournament to date. If he was fit I’d have him on the bench because Jarvis ain’t much a tighthead and doubt he’ll be much use of a loosehead either.
I was at the Wales v France game where North lined up at 13. He was dangerous going forwards but missed over half his tackles (something like 6). He may have improved since then, of course.
I like the look of this team
Gobsmacked ! Cuthbert still in ? North into centre ? no Lydiate or Jenkins even on the bench ?. Whats gonna happen when Cuthbert fails miserably again ? assume North will switch back out to the wing, possibly Hook to centre ? seems a bit flakey to me.
Surprised that Jenkins is not starting ( or even benching), although his scrumming has been disappointing I think his work in open play especially the breakdown would have been invaluable against the likes of Pocock.
I assume Lydiate is being rested in preparation for S Afrika ( if Wales lose of course ) I think his tackling prowess will be much needed in that game.
All in all it looks like Gats has decided to go for the expansive game just like he hinted at …… just hope it doesn’t backfire playing the Aussies at their own game ….
People need to get off Cuthbert’s case, he had a good game against Fiji and if he had a centre you could have passed left to right he could/would have had a brace of tries. OK his tackling technique is not great, but was in the right position to stop/block any player coming down his channel.
This team looks very promising I predicted Wales to beat England (my lily whites) and Australia to beat England my predicted win for Wales to win on Saturday 25..19 forget past games this is now
Pretty exciting side! I’d have liked to see Tyler Morgan at 13 and North out on the wing, but he’s got on well at 13 the last couple of games against Australia.
Very surprised at the bench. Surely Jenkins, Lydiate and Davies are carrying knocks. Also surprised to see Hook ahead of both Morgans.
Interesting!
No Gethin Jenkins at all. That could bite Wales in the rear end. Never been convinced by Paul James
Aussies will look to expose North in the centre.
Hooper being out will make life easier for the Welsh. They should play Warburton and Tipuric in exactly the same way as the Aussies do Pocock and Hooper – let one take the initial clear out whilst the other swoops in behind to slow / steal the ball
Ross Moriarty as well – that’s a big call!
Am not a stats fan but won’t mind betting that Gethin Jenkins’s penalty count is what has done him. Overall like the look of the side but am not sure of Anscombe at FB. Would like to know if any one else has though of a DL (6) JT (7) and Sam at 8?
Not many surprises in the XV, but shocked to see no Lydiate, Davies or Jenkins at least on the bench. Seems an odd decision to me.
Lydiate and Davies both injuries according to beeb. Eyesocket and nose respectively.
But the beeb also said that although they had been injury doubts that Gatland was picking from a full squad. That may be Gatland smoke and mirrors though!
I finally get to see the back 5 in the pack I wanted to see all tournament.
Charteris is needed for lineout ball and his effort in the loose/tackle and in the maul.
In 2010 I had no time for the guy but he can be really influential now.
I’d rather see Ken Owens starting too. Don’t trust Baldwin in a tight game.
I’d play Tyler Morgan and bench C++t butt as he is just awful.
Jenks-I’d have on the bench (if fit) for later in the game impact as he has been munched all the time to date.
2 flyers in the backrow. Aussies have 1 and Faletau is no slouch either.
Can the Welsh scrum cope with the Aussies after the evidence of last week???
Why so much shock at the Lydiate v Tips call? It shows an area where we are blessed with options for once. How many teams would give their red rose for one world class 7, let alone two… So accepting Tips and Warbs are a prospect many would love to see replicate from the England game in 2013, this could be just the time to do it. Even on the bench, Moriarty is an exciting prospect; he combines the ball carrying power of a good 8 with the handling skills of a good 7.
Agreed, Jenkins is most likely out at the risk of penalty count. Like Marler, he seems to have gained a reputation of not hitting the scrum flat and square, so either gets driven down (penalty for collapsing scrum) or driven up. His work in the lose is immense, but I think we have that covered with this selection, so why take the added risk?
I expect to see a kicking game first half for LW, North and Biggar to run onto, and up the middle, ball in hand second half.
Biggest worry for me is that I actually feel we could win this. Optimism has not been familiar to me so far this tournament…
Also, chap sits behind me at work says Samson Lee looks like Ram Man. It’s uncanny. Just be careful when you google…
As a now impartial spectator, Jenkins going is long overdue. He has struggled in the scrum and the aussies are looking very powerful in that department. I seem to remember someone telling me when T Youngs wasn’t picked for the Lions that it was no good having a front row forward, that however good in the loose couldn’t hold there own in the scrum. This sums up Jenkins now. The Aussie replacements are good scrummagers too so he would be coming on and immediately getting pinged. In a tight game, which this might be, that could be crucial.
Tipuric is in to counter the Aussie break down threat even if they are missing Hooper.
Cuthbert just lucky no one else is fit. Looks totally shorn of confidence to me. Personally think North will be fine in the centre. He’s a good rugby player and has looked good there before.
Don’t know enough about Anscombe at FB to comment.
I think that you can win this game, but afraid that my money has gone on the aussies as they just seem to have upped their game at the right time and aren’t carrying as many injuries.
You’re probably right but it’s tough for me to see him go as he is such a legend. I keep hoping that the next game is the one he returns to the heights he has hit but. Sigh. Perhaps his time has come. Welsh Legend status secured though.
Not disagreeing Brighty – maybe I’m mellowing?
He should have been dropped before the World Cup, we relied on him for far too long and now our other options lack experience.
You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain.
This is the lineup i’d heard about except i’d been told Hook was at 13. Small mercies he isn’t. North in at 13 is the only option we have really, if he’d played Tyler Morgan in this game against the aussie back line it would be a murder! He just isn’t ready for that yet.
Unfortunately it means we have to keep Cuthbert.
What we lose with Melons breakdown work we hopefully gain with the Tips/Warbs combo and a lower scrum penalty count. We don’t need domination, stability would be more than acceptable.
I think the key for me here is Cuthbert on the wing against Mitchell, and North in the centre. Against a team with less attacking potency I would say it would be fine, as it has been in the past. But Cuthbert is not a great defender on the wing, and Mitchell will look to exploit that. Foley and Giteau will be looking to catch North out and put Kuridrani threw that hole.
If it’s tight up front, which it should be, it could be the back lines that win the game, and despite having some real class in the Welsh back line, I just think that Aus have too much nous in their attacking style for Wales.