Warren Gatland Makes Four Changes As Unwanted Wales Record Looms

By Gareth James

Under-pressure Wales coach Warren Gatland has made four changes from the side beaten by Fiji to face Australia in Cardiff on Sunday.

Wales went down 24-19 to the Fijians last weekend in what was a record-equalling 10th successive Test defeat.

A loss to the Wallabies would see Gatland’s team set a new record, fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen’s side of the 2002-3 season having also lost 10 straight.

Williams out injured as Wales aim to avoid record 11th straight defeat
Scrum-half Tomos Williams will miss Wales’ Autumn Nations Series clash against Australia on Sunday as Warren Gatland’s side aim to avoid an 11th consecutive Test match defeat.

Williams out injured as Wales aim to avoid record 11th straight defeat
Scrum-half Tomos Williams will miss Wales’ Autumn Nations Series clash against Australia on Sunday as Warren Gatland’s side aim to avoid an 11th consecutive Test match defeat.
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The Wallabies arrive in the Welsh capital having pipped England 42-37 to kick off their bid to emulate Australia’s 1984 Grand Slam-winning tourists. After Wales, they then take on Scotland and Ireland.

“We’re expecting an Australia side on a high after their win against England,” said Gatland.

“They are a much-improved side since the summer and have played a number of Test matches since we last met. We know we need to put in an 80-minute performance on Sunday.”

The two sides last met in the summer when Australia notched up three Test wins.

Previously, Wales racked up a 40-6 victory over the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, the latter failing to advance from the pool stage.

For Sunday, Wales show four changes to the starting XV. James Botham and Jac Morgan come into the back row alongside Aaron Wainwright.

Ellis Bevan starts at scrum half and Tom Rogers is named on the wing in place of the injured Tomos Williams and Mason Grady respectively.

There are also three changes among the Wales replacements: Tommy Reffell provides the back row cover, while Rhodri Williams and Eddie James join Sam Costelow as the replacement backs.

Cameron Winnett continues at full-back, with Blair Murray on the other wing, outside retained midfield pairing of Max Llewellyn and Ben Thomas.

The front five is unchanged, Dewi Lake captaining the side from hooker in a front row also including Archie Griffin and Gareth Thomas. Adam Beard and Will Rowlands are the lock duo for the one-off test at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on Sunday (kick-off 1610 GMT).

It is now more than 400 days since Wales won a Test: a victory over Georgia in the 2023 World Cup.

Gatland’s second spell as Wales coach is proving markedly less successful than his first, from 2007 to 2019.

That yielded four Six Nations titles — including three Grand Slams and two appearances in World Cup semi-finals.

But the 61-year-old has found wins harder to come by since replacing compatriot Wayne Pivac as Wales coach in December 2022 and a loss to Australia on Sunday would make for a footnote in records for all the wrong reasons.

Wales: Cameron Winnett; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Blair Murray; Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Bevan; Aaron Wainwright, Jac Morgan, James Botham; Adam Beard, Will Rowlands; Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake (capt), Gareth Thomas

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Sam Costelow, Eddie James