Campese: Aussies will be much slicker against Wales
DAVID Campese is predicting more World Cup woe for the Welsh today reminding Warren Gatland that “Australia always turn up to the big party!”
The former Australia wing insists it has been beneficial to his countrymen to go into a World Cup a little under the radar while New Zealand, South Africa and England have been built up as the three main potential winners.
Australia saw off a spirited Fiji to open their campaign with a bonus point victory while Wales eased past Georgia.
Remarkably it will be the seventh time in nine World Cups that the two countries have crossed swords with the Red Dragons coming out on top only once – a 3rd/4th place play-off in the inaugural tournament in New Zealand in 1987.
Campo, who is acting as an ambassador for Rugby Australia during the tournament, is adamant Wales will be on the wrong end of the result again. He insists: “It wouldn’t be a World Cup unless Australia and Wales played each other! And if you look at the history of the results it’s pretty onesided even if the games themselves are usually very close.
“I expect this one to be extremely tight with a few points here or there at the end of it, but I will always back Australia against Wales even though they edged a desperate game in Cardiff a year ago. Australia had won the previous 13!
“Everyone is hyping up the All Blacks, Springboks and England as likely winners but the one thing about Aussies is they always turn up to a party big time.
“For some strange reason the Wallabies were very timid and nervous against the Fijians, and almost got their backsides smacked.
“It wasn’t the best of opening games in terms of performance but the crucial thing at a World Cup is not to lose your first game.
“I expect a totally different, much more confident, positive and slick display from the Wallabies against Wales. They will know the dangers and problems that the Welsh can throw at them and will be well prepared to counter whatever Warren Gatland has in mind.
“Gats is a very canny coach so the Wallabies will need to be on their A game. Fiji being shocked by Uruguay means both sides should qualify and it’s just about who will top the Pool.
“As it stands you will still probably play either England or France in the quarter-final so there’s not much to gain from it because whatever the quarter-final you get will still be tough.”