Wales all ‘blood, sweat and tears’

Intense preparations for Wallabies clash

Alun Wyn Jones has highlighted Wales’ intense preparations to face World Cup rivals Australia by revealing “there was a bit of red stuff flowing” in training.

Skipper Jones will become Wales’ most-capped player when he leads his country against the Wallabies in Tokyo tomorrow.

Jones wins his 130th cap, breaking the previous record held by prop Gethin Jenkins, with Wales unchanged following a 43-14 victory over Georgia on Monday.

A win for Wales would put them in pole position to win their group and set up a potential quarter-final against France or Argentina.

But if the Wallabies claim a 14th triumph from their last 15 meetings with Wales, then Gatland’s men could find themselves hurtling towards a last-eight appointment with England, so the stakes are high.

“There has been a few guys frustrated with selection, which is a good thing,” Jones said.

“That breeds competitiveness within the squad. There was a bit of red stuff flowing yesterday, which was all wellmeant because it was for the betterment of the team.

“We have tried things (in the World Cup warm-up Tests) and we’ve held a bit back.

“We had rotation in the warm-up games and we came out of the blocks well, like we asked, against Georgia.”

While Wales field the same team for tomorrow’s Pool D showdown, Australia boss Michael Cheika has made four changes – and Gatland believes that is a sign of respect.

“That’s how far we’ve come as a team over a number of years,” Gatland said.

“I don’t think this was always the case with Wales. Teams probably wouldn’t consider our attacking threats or any threats at all.

“To me, this is a sign of respect.” Centre Hadleigh Parkes and hooker Ken Owens, who both suffered knocks during the Georgia game, are among a starting XV featuring nine survivors from Wales’ narrow win against Australia last November.

Coach Michael Cheika is returning to his tried and tested combination from the 2015 World Cup of Will Genia at scrum-half and Bernard Foley at flyhalf.

Christian Lealiifano has been seemingly punished for a poor display in the side’s 39-21 victory over Fiji by being dropped from the match-day 23 and Kurtley Beale has been demoted to the substitutes after a series of lacklustre performances.

Veteran utility Adam Ashley-cooper fills the wing spot vacated by Reece Hodge, who has been handed a threematch ban following a high challenge in the Fiji match.

Wales have not claimed a World Cup success against Australia since 1987, when they won a third-place playoff encounter 22-21 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

● Georgia meet Uruguary, shock winners over Fiji, in Kumagaya today.