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It has dawned on me that we Australians are so self-involved we’ve forgotten it takes two teams to play a rugby match.
Hardly a word has been written about the Welsh team to play the Wallabies on Saturday night and that worries me.
I would like to sing the praises of the Welsh side that has been named. There are elements of blooding new talent, there are elements of quick fixes due to injury, and elements of experience that make for a fascinating team.
Let’s start with the centre pairing. Has there been a bigger, stronger pairing in the history of the game?
We must respect and fear Dr Jamie Roberts. His last outing against the Wallabies for the Lions was an awesome display of power. We must starve him of front-foot ball or he will certainly make dents in our defence.
But what could be more damaging is his partner. George North is a rare talent and he could cause some problems for us. I am particularly concerned considering I don’t think Tevita Kuridrani is a good reader in defence. Sure he’s been absolutely outstanding in attack and his one-on-one defence is very good but I don’t think he generally reads the game that well in the 13 channel.
Nevertheless, Wales’ strength in the centres could be their weakness. With such similar players in the midfield they may be a little one dimensional. Plus let’s hope North himself is found out defensively in a foreign position because we could exploit that.
While their back three is solid, their halves relatively unspectacular, so I do think we have a slight advantage in the back line overall. Wales’ biggest strength in my opinion is their back-row and I think they have a big advantage here.
I will start by stating that Sam Warburton on his day is world class. However, for some reason he doesn’t always produce his best against us so let’s hope he continues in that vein. Of the two number sevens I rate Michael Hooper the better player so it is the number eight and number six that gives them the big advantage.
At number eight the very fine player Taulupe Faletau is the type of player that can cause havoc on his good days. Even on his average days he is still pretty ominous. Ben McCalman has had another great season for the Force but he just isn’t in the same class as Faletau.
Their trump card though is Dan Lydiate. This spectacular player is somewhat unheralded Down Under but certainly not so in Europe. In my opinion he made the biggest difference for the Lions by coming into the starting line up for the second and third Tests against Australia last year.
I think he proved himself once again as the best defensive number six in the world. Now he is much more dangerous because, if we are to believe reports from Europe, he is finally back to full fitness after two years of playing injured.
I’ve got a feeling we’re about to see Lydiate’s full array of defensive prowess both by his crash tackling and by the ferocity he hits with at breakdowns. I hope McMahon takes notes because being a number six is not just about carrying the ball.
In terms of the locks I must admit Jake Ball is an interesting one. A former Western Australia youth cricketer, he has risen fairly quickly to oust some very good lock talent in Wales. Alun Wyn Jones is obviously one of the better locks running around so I believe they have an advantage in the second row also.
The last thing to find fascinating is their front row, in particular their props. They’ve opted for youth above experience having placed the great loose-head Gethin Jenkins on the bench and having axed the equally renowned tight-head prop Adam Jones altogether. It could be their undoing as much as it could be a master-stroke.
I think there is a lot to be worried about in terms of a very strong Welsh side. However I think they lack a little bit of creativity so I’m predicting an eventual five-point victory to the Wallabies.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.