Changing Wallabies
It is a side meshing players with heritage flowing from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Ireland, England and indigenous Australia through Kurtley Beale
The four flying Fijian-born players who ran amok in the Wallabies backline for the 63-30 Test win over Japan in Yokohama last weekend are a striking example of the changing face of Australian rugby.
Just three Fijians wore the gold jersey in the first decade of professional rugby yet there were centres Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani storming over for five tries between them inside wingers Marika Koribete and Henry Speight.
It is a snapshot that the Wallabies heading into tomorrow’s test clash against Wales at Principality Stadium are indeed one of the most multi-cultural of the world’s leading Test nations.
It is a side meshing players with heritage flowing from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Ireland, England and indigenous Australia through Kurtley Beale.
“We’ve got an incredibly diverse playing group from many different backgrounds and we don’t all come from that stereotypical Aussie type of upbringing,” said hooker Stephen Moore, who brought an Irish accent to Australia as a five-yearold.
“We have built a strong team identity and a big part of that has been getting to know each other better, really getting to know the person beside you on the field.”
It is an unseen part of the fabricbuilding of this Wallabies team because those bonds of digging in beside your mate need to surface most of all in defence when in hostile territory abroad.
The Wallabies may be renowned for creative set plays over the decades but the best Australian side have often triumphed through the starch in the defence.
You don’t restrict the All Blacks to 18 points for last month’s droughtbreaking victory in Brisbane without it being an essential ingredient to the improvements of this season.
EXTRA FOCUS
Kuridrani has racked up more than 50 Tests as a 100kg-plus outside centre with a composed role in defence, good running lines in attack and the knack for a late try when needed most.
Finding some real finishing speed has been a search for the Wallabies in recent years. Koroibete is an eyecatcher now Sefa Naivalu, another Fijian speedster, is on the injured list in Australia.
He may have played just five Tests but he has also been toughened by more than 70 matches in the NRL, the top tier of rugby league in Australia. He found his way to the tryline 46 times.
Switching on for this Test in Cardiff is not an issue for the Wallabies. They’ve been too recently in the same boat as Wales.
Beale, who will play fullback or inside centre, is certain the deep hurt felt by the Wallabies when constantly crushed by the All Blacks has them on guard for the fire the Welsh will throw at snapping their own nightmare.
Ending a seven-Test losing streak against the All Blacks in Brisbane was dam-bursting so Beale knows how intense the desire must be inside Welsh regulars like Toby Faletau who has lost seven times to the Wallabies.
“It always hurts but look at our record against the All Blacks up until we broke it and it was one of the best feelings ever,” Beale said.
“That was huge relief. Obviously, flipping it on the other side we know that feeling so it gives us a bit of a background how the Welsh will be feeling leading into this game.
“It’s going to put extra focus on our preparation so we get the job done.
“You know it is going to be a confrontation against Wales. In the past we have always backed ourselves to get them in the final minutes and that’s the same mindset we’ve been taking through The Rugby Championship (with the extra confidence being built).”
Wallabies: 15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Reece Hodge, 13. Tevita Kuridrani,
12. Samu Kerevi, 11. Marika Koribete, 10. Bernard Foley, 9. Will Genia, 8. Sean McMahon, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 6. Ned Hanigan, 5. Adam Coleman, 4. Rob Simmons, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau,
1. Scott Sio. Bench: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. Tom Robertson, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Matt Philip, 20. Ben McCalman, 21. Nick Phipps,
22. Henry Speight, 23. Karmichael Hunt.
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Owen Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 4 Jake Ball, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Rob Evans.
Bench: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Owen Watkin, 23 Hallam Amos.