Wales vs. Australia: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Autumn Test Preview
Wales will be looking for their first win over Australia since 2008 when they host the Wallabies at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday for the first of an intense series of autumn internationals.
Wales have lost their last nine encounters against the weekend's southern hemisphere opposition, and skipper Sam Warburton has called for that to be put right.
The Australians have had a mixed set of results in recent months, coming a distant third to South Africa and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship. However, the visitors will be eager for a strong start to their November tour which sees them also face France, Ireland and England.
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Read on for all the scheduling, television and live streaming details as well as a preview ahead of Saturday's encounter between two top teams.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 8
Time: 2:30 p.m. GMT, 9:30 a.m. ET
TV Info: BBC1 (UK only)
Live Stream: BBC iPlayer
Preview
Warburton has been named in a strong Wales side by Warren Gatland for Saturday, which sees George North move to the centres to partner Jamie Roberts while Liam Williams and Alex Cuthbert play on the wings, per Paul Rees in The Guardian.
It is a home side full of quality with Leigh Halfpenny, Alun-Wyn Jones and Richard Hibbard all involved, and their 26-year-old captain has called on his side to break their six-year duck against Australia, per Planet Rugby:
"You are not unlucky nine times in a row. Australia have obviously been that smidge better than we have been over those nine fixtures. It's not a psychological barrier. The first time I came into the squad was on the back of beating them in 2008, so you always have the belief when playing these teams. It is a massive opportunity for the squad and it is coming to the time, which we have said year after year, with the World Cup on the horizon and the senior players in the group, that we really do have to get a win over one of these teams if we are to be considered one of the best in the world.
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As Warburton mentions, this set of autumn internationals—which sees Wales play Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa after the Aussies—are essential preparation for next year's World Cup in England.
With Australia set to be in the same group as Wales in the 2015 tournament, Saturday's result could prove very significant come Nov. 10 next year when the teams meet at Twickenham.
Wales' results have been so consistently poor versus southern hemisphere sides that if they lose against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia again this month, it could be a horrendous blow to their confidence going forward.
However, they most certainly have the quality to beat Australia but must iron out the indiscipline and lack of concentration that has seen them lose to the Wallabies so often in recent times by the narrowest of margins.
Indeed, new Aussie coach Michael Cheika will be aware that, while perennially victorious, they have not beaten Wales by more than four points in their last four encounters.
The two sides are very evenly matched, and Cheika will hope to advance on his maiden victory last weekend which saw his side prevail against the Barbarians at Twickenham, per Rugby World:
It has been a troubled time for Australia of late, Ewen McKenzie resigning from the coaching job after a last-minute, single-point loss to New Zealand at the end of October having already lost to Argentina and heavily to South Africa in the Rugby Championship.
Wales must feel as though they can take advantage of the Wallabies' recent travails but, while Australia are in a state of flux, they have quality and the new injection of a fresh coach on their side.
The recent clashes between these two have been desperately exciting, exhausting affairs of high quality. It must be hoped that there is another one served up on Saturday.
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